BY JONAS TERRADO
Ranidel de Ocampo on Monday revealed his plans to retire after 15 seasons in the PBA and memorable stints representing the country as a member of Gilas Pilipinas.
De Ocampo made the announcement during a podcast hosted by commentators Magoo Marjon and Carlo Pamintuan, citing injuries suffered over the past few seasons.
“Marupok na e. Wala na e,” De Ocampo said in the podcast that saw him and former Gilas teammate Marc Pingris as guests.
“Although di ko pa naa-announce, dun na ako papunta e,” added De Ocampo, who plans to make things official through social media.
The 38-year-old is currently a free agent after his two-year contract with Meralco expired at the end of the team’s PBA Governors’ Cup Finals loss to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel last January.
He had played just 30 of the possible 86 games over the past two seasons due to problems on his calf muscle, Achilles and back.
Considered as one of the best talents outside the UAAP and NCAA, De Ocampo was selected as the fourth overall pick of FedEx in the 2004 PBA Draft following a decorated career at St. Francis of Assisi.
De Ocampo played 4 1/2 seasons for the FedEx/Air21 franchise before being shipped to Talk ’N Text in the 2008-09 Philippine Cup, subsequently winning his first PBA title.
The multi-time All-Star would win five more championships for TNT before being dealt to Meralco in 2017.
But he is best remembered as part of Gilas Pilipinas’ successful runs in the past decade that included a victory in the 2012 William Jones Cup in Taiwan and runner-up finishes in the 2013 and 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
His inclusion in the 2014 FIBA World Cup in Spain was a capper to a national team career that ended after the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
De Ocampo posted career PBA averages of 12.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 646 games while 809 triples are currently ranked 14th all-time.
