RETIRING while still ahead of many others.
JC Intal took this option as the 6-foot-3 Phoenix Pulse forward announced his retirement in a lengthy Facebook post late Sunday, ahead of what should have been his 14th PBA season.
"It is a bittersweet feeling for me to say goodbye to the game that has been a huge part of my life, but I am moving forward feeling happy and proud, knowing I made the most of the privilege to play basketball professionally," said Intal, calling it quits at age 37.
The fourth pick by Air21 in the 2007 draft behind Joe Devance, Samigue Eman and Ryan Reyes, the Ateneo product carved a pro career marked by three All-Star memberships, a championship with Barangay Ginebra and an answer to a call to wear the national colors in the 2015 Jones Cup and the succeeding FIBA Asia Championships.
He enjoyed a career-best average of 12.8 points on top of 5.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists with Barako Bull when called upon to serve the Tab Baldwin-mentored Gilas team to the 2015 Changsha Asian tilt where the Nationals pocketed the silver medal.
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At the end of his 13-year PBA career, Intal sported career norms of 7.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists - easily among the best from his draft class.
"It has been the honor of my life to play basketball," said Intal, a high flyer and gunner who played high school ball with Letran before moving to Ateneo for college play then having initial stints as a national player while with the PBL in the mid-2000s.
But their silver-medal feat in Changsha should be the biggest highlight of his career.
Intal expressed gratitude to all his coaches, but made special mention of Baldwin "who gave me my biggest break when he invited me to be part of Gilas Pilipinas."
In Changsha, he teamed up with Terrence Romeo, Calvin Abueva, Jayson Castro, Gabe Norwood, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Dondon Hontiveros, Asi Taulava, Marc Pingris, Ranidel de Ocampo, Sonny Thoss and Andray Blatche as they mirrored the runner-up feat of the previous Gilas team in the 2013 Manila joust.
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He helped Phoenix to a semifinal finish in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup bubble before hanging his sneakers. (SB)
