CHICAGO - The quiet exit of Al Panlilio as Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president on Tuesday mirrored the kind of leadership he brought to the federation.
Calm but effective with no fanfare, but bursting with self-sacrifice.
Although the phrase "end of an era" is sometimes used loosely to toss undeserved praise for outgoing people and institutions, that's not the case here.
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The departure of Panlilio as SBP head, a sublime nine years that began with his first term in 2016, truly is a loss.
I make no illusions, Al and I were not friends in the traditional sense of the word. Never played a round of golf with him, nor did we share a beer or a laugh. Heck, I never even met him in the flesh.
Ours was purely a news source-reporter relationship that was congenial and respectful even though we had, on occasion, heated dissent on some issues.
The last time I spoke to him at length on the telephone was on a weekend in early July of 2024. We talked about the passing of a mutual friend, the late Chino Trinidad, and we also chatted about Ateneo basketball.
RARE BREED.
Panlilio is a beautiful soul, a great mind who played and knew his basketball. Above all, he was a good listener, the kind that some people make a career out of. I will miss those interactions.
I did not reach out to Panlilio for this piece. Knowing how he operates under the radar, he'd never take part in some article that trains the spotlight on him and his accomplishments, never mind if it's well-deserved.
Sorry, Mr. Panlilio, but at a time when many around us have lost their humanity, your gentle spirit needs to be exposed.
Like that time in August 2023 when he cut short a Singapore business to fix what was spiraling into a breakdown in the FIBA World Cup contract negotiations between SBP and NBA player Jordan Clarkson.
Around that time, Panlilio also patched up a strained relationship between the federation and the camp of Kai Sotto leading into the World Cup, a global centerpiece event that turned out to be immensely successful under Al's direction.
Following a late-night brawl at a fastfood chain in BGC when everybody seemed to sour on Jamie Malonzo, Panlilio was the first to drape the fallen former Ginebra star with the towel of empathy.
AGAIN, THAT'S JUST AL BEING AL
He was never judgmental, one who seemed to find only the good in the midst of chaos.
But the thing that I'll remember most about Panlilio was his non-confrontational nature. At times when I took negative aim at the SBP, he never pelted me with angry text messages or raised his voice on a call.
He would just politely say, "I disagree with you," before presenting his own arguments. That brand of leadership that is thick-skinned and cognizant of the media's work to be critical when warranted is rare in Philippine sports.
I'll miss that, too.
Fond farewell to you, Al. And here's wishing you, your wife Angela and your three children the best in whatever journey life takes you next.
Vaya con Dios.
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