Alex Cabagnot couldn’t be any happier to have found his way back into the PBA just before he “probably” rides off to the sunset after this season.
The star guard revealed that he could be hanging it up after his 20th season, and there couldn’t be any better place to do his farewell tour than in the league where he rose to prominence and tasted the sweetest of successes.
“This is probably gonna be my last season,” said the second pick of the 2005 Draft. “I wanted to end my career, especially playing in the PBA.”
Cabagnot disclosed as much to reporters during the league’s Media Day at the Le Parc Event Hall in Pasay on Tuesday, a session which he didn’t expect to attend since he wasn’t that sure if his Converge uniform could be made in time.
The 41-year-old inked a one-year deal with the FiberXers just less than 24 hours prior, putting pen to paper without any hesitation as he immediately grabbed the opportunity to return and play in Asia’s pioneering pro league.
“I really just signed kahapon lang, I didn’t think I was gonna get a jersey this fast! But they obviously rushed the jersey,” he said giddily, in awe of how fast everything happened. “I didn’t think I was gonna be here!”
Returning to the PBA wasn’t actually part of the plan since there were also offers from abroad, he said, but it was too great a chance to pass up.
“I thought I was just gonna venture off,” he said. “You know, I was in Korea, then I went to Taiwan, then being close with the Taiwan bosses, they had some teams in Taiwan; I think they’re gonna open up an Asian import quota.
“I thought I was gonna take part in that. But this came up. I couldn’t pass up on this. I said, ‘You know what, I wanna go back to the PBA,'” he added.
“PBA has been amazing to me. I’ve met a lot of great people. It wasn’t in the plans at all. But when it was on the table, I couldn’t pass up on it.”
Filled with gratitude to the Converge bosses such as team manager Jacob Lao, Cabagnot is now keen on helping the team in any way he can.
“I know they have their own style and they’ve been together for quite some time so I’m coming as the newbie of the group. As a rookie, so to say. I hope I can help the team in any way possible,” said the nine-time champion.
