by Waylon Galvez
If Danny Ildefonso will be given a chance, he would like to end his career with Petron Blaze.
After all, this is the same team where he bagged eight PBA championships, earned his back-to-back MVP awards in 2000 and 2001, and built his reputation as one of the best players to play in Asia’s first pro league.
“Gusto ko pa sana maka-laro pa, kung mapag-bibigyan Petron pa din sana,” said Ildefonso when interviewed yesterday by TEMPO.
The 6-foot-6 Ildefonso, also the Rookie of the Year in 1998, is currently a free agent after his contract with Petron expired last Oct. 31.
An online report that came out early this month had Ildefonso apparently questioned the moves of Petron, a team owned by San Miguel Corp., on player movements, coaching changes and even the change of team name from its original San Miguel Beer.
According to sources, that didn’t sit well with SMC top honcho Ramon S. Ang, and was the reason Ildefonso wasn’t offered an extension on what could have been his final year with the team, before moving on as part of the coaching staff.
Ildefonso said it was only his personal opinion and not that he was bearing out his ill feelings against management. Fact is, he wants to apologize and is asking for a meeting with the SMC boss to personally talk to him so they can patch things up.
“Gusto ko sana talaga maka-meet si boss RSA, and siguro malaman ko na din kung anong plano sakin ng team,” Ildefonso said. “Ang gusto ko lang talaga is maka-laro pa, maski nga isang conference lang, basta maka-tulong sa team, and ‘yung graceful exit na din.”
A source said Talk ’N Text, which two days ago signed his good friend and ex-San Miguel teammate Danny Seigle to a one-year deal, is interested in him but Ildefonso said he knows nothing and has not talked to any team.
“Wala talaga sa ngayon. Sa ngayon ang gusto ko maayos ‘yung sa Petron,” said Ildefonso. (Waylon Galvez)