GOING out on his own terms.
This was the main explanation given by Marc Pingris when he decided to hang up his playing jersey after a sterling 16-year career in the PBA.
“Kahit kondisyon katawan ko, na-pi-feel kong hanggang dito na lang talaga,” Pingris told Malaya-Business Insight just moments after announcing his retirement via his Instagram account last Tuesday night.
“Gustong-gusto ko pa rin talagang maglaro pero at the same time gusto ko ring mag-retiro na healthy pa,” added the Magnolia forward. “Kilala n’yo naman ako pag naglaro ako, 100 percent lagi ibinibigay ko. Ayaw kong mag-baby-baby sa laro.”
The 39-year-old has missed the majority of the last two seasons due to an assortment of injuries. He has sufficiently recovered enough and even looked forward to joining the Hotshots in their pre-season training.
Upon realizing, however, that he couldn’t catch up with his teammates in their Batangas practices that started last week, his mind ultimately said no.
“Matagal ko ring pinag-isipan, lalo na last two weeks. Nag-pray din ako kung ano magandang desisyon,” related Pingris. “At hindi porke’t ayaw na ng katawan ko… tuloy pa rin naman mga workouts ko. Nag-pray din ako kung ano magandang desisyon, kumunsulta sa family, kamag-anak, kaibigan.
“May kailangan ding asikasuhin kasi, so iisipin mo kung ano mas maganda sa short term, long term mo. I think ito na ‘yung, kumbaga pinakamahirap na desisyon. But kailangang tanggapin.”
True to his humble and giving nature, Pingris knows his spot in Magnolia could now be taken over by a younger player with dreams of fully making it to the PBA.
“Gusto ko ring ipasa sa mga mas bata sa akin ‘yung opportunity na makapaglaro sa PBA, para mabigyan ng opportunity ‘yung mga gustong papirmahin nila (management), nila coach,” explained Pingris. “Kahit papaano matutulungan mo rin bata.”
Pingris is merely repaying the sport that has been truly good to him. Since being picked at No. 3 overall in the 2004 PBA draft, he went on to win nine championships, including a rare Grand Slam with B-Meg/San Mig Coffee in 2014. Along the way, he became a 15-time All-Star and eight-time member of the All-Defensive Team.
The 6-foot-4 forward was also a regular fixture in every national team since 2003, memorably helping the Philippines clinch a historic silver medal finish in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship that enabled the country to return to the World Cup after 40 years.
Tributes came pouring in immediately after Pingris’ announcement, foremost among them coming from coach Tim Cone and June Mar Fajardo.
“End of an era,” posted Cone, who was the Mixers’ coach when they swept all three titles in the 2014 season.
“Certainly one of a kind. I loved, in every way, coaching Ping. Tough as nails on the court and gentle in spirit off it. @MPingris15 will be the standard from which I coach future players. My fav.”
“Tol Marc Pingris, maraming salamat sa lahat ng memories at bonding natin,” expressed Fajardo, who never got to team up with Pingris but treated the latter as a brother in all the years they spent together with the national team since 2013.
