TNT will just be among the spectators when one of its former franchise players will have his jersey retirement on Wednesday.
Other than serving as NLEX’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup opponent at the Philsports Arena, the Tropang Giga won’t have anything planned when the Road Warriors formally retires the No. 88 playing jersey of veteran big man Asi Taulava.
READ Asi Taulava activated by NLEX in time for jersey retirement ceremony
The 50-year-old Fil-Tongan was a direct Fil-foreign hire in 1999 by the telecommunications franchise, where he played some of the best years of a career that spanned more than two decades.
“No plans,” was the curt reply of TNT coach and team manager Jojo Lastimosa when asked if the team is also eyeing to honor the 6-foot-9 Taulava on his retirement ceremony.
Taulava activated
NLEX reactivated Taulava on the eve of its match against TNT, giving hint of its plan to accord one of the league’s most dominant players a graceful exit.
The former has been with the Road Warriors for almost a decade now since NLEX acquired the franchise of Air21 in 2014.
But there’s no doubt, Taulava made a name for himself while playing for TNT, which he helped lead to its first-ever championship 20 years ago when it copped the All-Filipino crown at the expense of Coca-Cola.
That same season, he was also adjudged as the league’s MVP.
As synonymous as Taulava was with TNT, the two split as the big man found himself on the move to Coca-Cola in exchange for Ali Peek and a 2008 first-round pick (which later turned out to be Jared Dillinger).
Taulava later also had stints with Meralco and Air21 before its acquisition of NLEX.
In TNT’s franchise history, only two playing jerseys had been retired in former MVP Jimmy Alapag and just recently, Harvey Carey.
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