ADD Asi Taulava to the growing list of basketball legends waiting for a formal closure to their PBA careers.
According to NLEX coach Yeng Guiao, they are just waiting for an opportune time to hold a formal retirement ceremony for Taulava, arguably one of the best big men to ever play in the pro league.
“Medyo tinityempuhan lang namin,” Guiao told Malaya-Business Insight.
“Tumitingin kami ng magandang timing,” added Guiao. “Sana mag-magandang finish kami, kahit semifinals man lang, para at least may dating ‘yung retirement ceremony niya.”
Taulava is set to join Alaska’s Sonny Thoss and Magnolia’s PJ Simon and Marc Pingris, who have also hung up their playing jerseys and whose teams are just waiting for the right moment to hold their respective retirement ceremonies.
Considering Taulava’s achievements since joining the pro league in 1997, a grand sendoff is only fitting.
The 6-foot-9 Fil-Tongan immediately made a splash in his PBA debut and racked up numerous accomplishments in his career that started as a direct hire by Mobiline (now TNT) in 1999.
Although his playing time has dwindled since two seasons ago and he was even relegated to the reserved list by NLEX in the last Philippine Cup, Taulava, 48, still holds the distinction of being the oldest active player in Asia’s first play-for-pay league, according to league chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.
Taulava hit a career-low average of 2.0 points two seasons ago, but that doesn’t tell the complete tale of the heavy-set center who had his peak year in 2003 when he normed 23.4 points and 13.7 rebounds and was named the season MVP.
In 622 games, while also suiting up for Coca-Cola, Air21 and Meralco, Taulava has had career averages of 13.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, putting him in the company of San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo (17.7 points, 12.2 rebounds through 2019) as the only players in PBA history with double-double averages in their career.
There is a caveat there, however, as the Beermen’s prized center started his PBA career only in 2013 and missed all of last year due to injury.
With 21 seasons under his belt, Taulava has also tied Abet Guidaben with the most playing years in the PBA, just behind the legendary Robert “Sonny” Jaworski’s 23.
There’s more.
Taulava owns the record of most All-Star appearances with 17, winning the annual spectacle’s MVP honors twice.
His four-time membership in the PBA’s First Team and as many inclusions in the Second Team make him the only Fil-foreign player with the most Mythical Team selections, way beyond the reach of fellow former MVP Ricky Brown and Thoss, each with six.
Taulava’s 6,000-plus rebounds also put him in the elite company of Alvin Patrimonio, Ramon Fernandez, Guidaben and Jerry Codinera with such totals and his 2,000-plus offensive rebounds put him alongside Guidaben, Fernandez, Codinera and Ali Peek in the select club.
In what could be Taulava’s last game, he came off the bench to score 11 points on top of four rebounds and two assists in NLEX’s 127-101 win over Terrafirma on Nov. 11 last year at the Philippine Cup bubble in Angeles City.
Afterwards, Taulava hinted of retirement although NLEX still included him in its lineup for this season out of respect.
His sterling resume should serve Taulava well in his upcoming endeavors, according to Guiao.
“Malamang ma-coaching staff din iyan. Meron din siyang corporate role, baka corporate sports. Sarili niyang clinics, kasama ng CSR (corporate social responsibility) namin,” said Guiao. “So he will be performing ‘yung mga programs na iyon.”
