Sean Anthony Is Retiring From PBA

Former Meralco Bolts forward Sean Anthony officially retired from the PBA after a colorful career that saw him play for eight teams in 14 seasons.

Anthony announced the news last 14 September, saying he and his family now reside in Vancouver, Canada, after he declined a contract extension with NLEX to concentrate on the cancer treatment of his son.

"Saying goodbye to something you love is one of the hardest things to do, which is probably why it has taken me so long to share this. But here it goes: I am officially retiring from basketball," Anthony wrote on LinkedIn.

"Earlier this year, when we found out my son had cancer, I turned down my extension with the NLEX Road Warriors and moved to Singapore to focus on getting him healthy."

"Seven months later, and after six rounds of immunotherapy and chemotherapy, I’m beyond grateful to say that my son is now cancer-free! Our family has since relocated to Vancouver, Canada, where he will continue post-treatment monitoring and care."

The Filipino-Canadian workhorse entered the PBA in 2010 as the No. 6 pick, spending his first two seasons with Powerade before he got shipped to Barako Bull, then to Talk ‘N Text, Air21, Meralco, NLEX, and NorthPort.

It was during his four-year stint with the Batang Pier from 2017 to 2021 that Anthony enjoyed the best years of his PBA career as he earned Mythical First Team and Defensive Player of the Year honors in the 2019 season, where he averaged 16.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.4 steals.

He joined his eighth team when he got traded to Phoenix before he found his way back to NLEX, where he played his final two seasons.

The 39-year-old said he earned a master’s in business administration and he now works as a senior consultant for an advisory services company.

"Basketball has been a cornerstone of my life since I was a kid, and being able to live out my childhood dream for 15 years has been the greatest gift. Thank you to the management, coaches, teammates, and especially the fans for your support throughout my journey," Anthony said.

"I will always love the game and the PBA, and I hope that one day, when life settles, I can give back to the sport and the community that has given me so much."