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8-time PBA champion, former Ginebra captain, and Stage 3 colon cancer survivor LA Tenorio retires from active competition amid a career shift to coaching Gilas Youth and Magnolia
MANILA, Philippines – Though the writing was on the wall, it is finally official: LA Tenorio has formally retired from active basketball competition.
The current Gilas Pilipinas Men Youth coach and incoming Magnolia Hotshots mentor penned a lengthy and heartfelt farewell to his legendary PBA career on Saturday, September 6, revealing a full-time shift to his promising sideline gig after 19 years patrolling as an on-court floor general.
“Paalam sa jersey, pero hindi sa puso. Hindi ito pagtatapos. Ito ay pagpapatuloy: ng pasasalamat, ng pagmamahal, ng pusong hinding-hindi maglalaho,” Tenorio wrote in a social media post.
(Goodbye to my jersey, but not to my love for the game. This is not the end but a continuation of gratitude and love that will never disappear.)
An eight-time PBA champion, 10-time All-Star, four-time Finals MVP, and the 2024 Comeback Player of the Year after beating Stage 3 colon cancer, Tenorio played the last 13 years of his career with PBA fan favorite squad Ginebra after an initial six-year timeshare with San Miguel, Magnolia, and Alaska.
Though he did not always record the most eye-popping stats, the iconic “Tinyente” (lieutenant) and “Gineral” was responsible for numerous clutch plays throughout the years and was the steady on-court extension of 25-time champion Tim Cone, the winningest coach in PBA history.
Prior to his cancer diagnosis and eventual recovery, Tenorio also rightfully earned his third and most impressive moniker, “Iron Man,” for not missing a game in his first 744 appearances, spanning an astounding 17-year streak.
Though Tenorio lamented the fact that he could not help lead Ginebra to another championship since his return to action in 2023, the 41-year-old star nonetheless expressed his utmost gratitude to the PBA’s undisputed biggest fan base, which has supported him through the team’s ups and downs.
“The best fans in the world, thank you so much to all of you! I wouldn’t be where I am now without your love and support,” Tenorio wrote in a mix of English and Filipino.
“Thank you for always believing in me and my fellow players, and for always fueling the never say die spirit! It made me play basketball for sure in a higher level ever since! I will carry ‘Pusong Ginebra’ and ‘Pusong NSD’ (never say die) with me always, wherever life takes me.”
Tenorio appears in his first official function as a full-time PBA coach on Sunday, September 7, as Magnolia participates in the PBA Season 50 rookie draft at the Mall of Asia Music Hall. – Rappler.com
