Kiefer Ravena has been one of the country’s most popular basketball stars for quite a while. Since 2011 when he first starred for the Ateneo Blue Eagles ‘til now that he’s an import for the Shiga Lakes at the Japan B.League, he has remained relevant in the Philippine basketball landscape. At age 29, he’s been in the game for a really long time.
It's not surprising at all to hear The Phenom talk about life after playing ball. Speaking with Filipino basketball content creator Hoop Junkie, Ravena revealed that he wants to emulate a particular PBA legend in retirement.
“Actually ‘nung nag-retire si Danny I [Ildefonso], parang sabi ko, when it comes to looking at him physically, parang sana ‘pag nag-retire ako, ‘ganon din itsura ko 'di ba... Anytime na ‘Sige, feel ko ulit mag-PBA, sige PBA nga ulit ako.’ ‘Yung ‘ganon kasi kaya ng katawan ko,” the two-time UAAP champion divulged.
Apparently, Manong Kiefer is an Ildefonso fanboy. He couldn’t stress enough how impressive it is that the San Miguel Beermen icon has stayed in shape all these years. And to be at a level of conditioning where the 46-year-old big man, who was recently activated by the Converge FiberXers, can still hang with youngsters impresses the talented floor general.
“Danny I has been retired for eight years. [He] kept himself in shape, in decent shape… In shape that you can go out and compete with the young ones… Hindi ako raise the roof dun, as in ganun ako dun,” Ravena said while acting like he’s bowing down to Ildefonso.
Perhaps one of the secrets behind Kiefer’s sustained success is great physical conditioning. And seeing someone like Danny I take it to a whole new level will, of course, make a huge fan out of him.