Lest people forget, Ranidel de Ocampo spent his last years as a PBA player donning the Meralco jersey.
TNT was not the only one reveling in Ranidel de Ocampo’s PBA legacy when the franchise retired his No. 33 jersey Friday night, Jan. 9.
Its opponent in the ongoing PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals, Meralco, also took pride in De Ocampo’s latest milestone, six years after he called time on his career with the Bolts.
[RELATED STORY: TNT retires Ranidel de Ocampo’s No. 33 jersey: 'Sobrang proud ako at na-recognize ang pangalan ko’]
“Kaibigan na natin si Del. We had the opportunity to have him; he was with us in Meralco. He’s part of our family too,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo.
“So we’re very proud of him. Just a quality guy who’s won so many championships. [He's] been with the national team.”
[RELATED STORY: LIST: Ranidel de Ocampo’s best moments with TNT]
De Ocampo was drafted fourth overall in 2004 by the then FedEx franchise before seeing himself shipped to TNT four years later.
Ranidel de Ocampo during his TNT jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of Game 3 of the Tropang 5G-Meralco PBA semifinals. | Photo: RM Chua/One Sports
That is where he started making a mark in the pioneering professional basketball league in Asia.
With TNT, RDO won six championships and two Finals Most Valuable Player plums, among others.
After nearly a decade with the flagship squad of the MVP Group, the former Gilas Pilipinas hero spent his last two seasons with Meralco from 2017 to 2019.
Trillo had nothing but praise for the PBA’s original stretch four.
“Napakamapagkumbaba. It was nice to be a part of that and witness that here. He’s not only part of Talk ’N Text. He’s part of the Meralco family rin,” said Trillo.
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.