RANIDEL De Ocampo is finally calling it quits after a 16-year PBA career ravaged by a slew of injuries the last two seasons.
De Ocampo, a first-round pick of FedEx in the 2004 rookie draft, won six championships during his stint with Talk ‘N Text from 2008-2017 before spending the rest of his career with Meralco.
The veteran forward formally announced his retirement on his Instagram and Tweeter accounts on Monday.
"At 38, with the guidance of the Lord and my family, I am now announcing my retirement as a professional basketball player," said De Ocampo
Since going down with a strained left calf in the finals of the 2017 Governors Cup against Barangay Ginebra, he has been in and out of the Bolts’ injury list.
Now he feels is the time for him to say his goodbye.
“Paalam na sa basketball. Talagang naging buhay ko na ang basketball simula 14 years old ako,” said De Ocampo, who was a big part of Gilas Pilipinas especially during its run in its return to the FIBA World Cup in 2014.
“Nagpapasalamat ako kay Lord na binigyan niya ako ng magandang career. Siguro time na matapos na yung pagiging player,” he added at the end his interview in the 20T podcast hosted by Carlo Pamintuan and Magoo Marjon on Monday.
For all his success in the PBA, RDO will be best remembered for his exploits with Gilas Pilipinas as part of the batch that finished second to Iran in the 2013 Fiba Asia Cup in Manila to book a return to the Fiba World Cup.
His retirement came just a few months after elder brother Yancy De Ocampo also announced that he's through playing with basketball after spending the last four seasons with San Miguel Beer.
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