Gabe Norwood is ready to hang up his sneakers for good.
One of the PBA’s most respected figures has announced that he is set to call it quits after the recently opened Season 50 Philippine Cup–with, of course, the very same franchise where his remarkable career began.
“Today, I want to share with you all that this upcoming Philippine Cup will be my last,” Norwood stated in a short yet emotional video posted by the Elasto Painters through their official Instagram page on Thursday.
“One last conference, one last run, one last flight.”
The said conference will mark his 17th and final season in Asia’s first play-for-pay league, which he joined in 2008 as the no. 1 pick by the RoS following a solid stint with Hapee Toothpaste in the now-defunct PBL.
A member of the George Mason University team that pulled off a Cinderella run in the US NCAA Final Four in 2006, the 6-foot-6 winger would go on to become an integral piece that enabled the Elasto Painters to emerge as a contender.
Norwood was part of all of Rain or Shine’s two PBA championships, first in the 2012 Governors’ Cup and then in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup in which they earned the distinction of being the last independent team to win a crown.
The native of Fayetteville, North Carolina has also earned multiple awards and accolades for himself–from 11 All-Star selections, to seven All-Defensive Team citations, and a Mythical Second Team selection in 2009.
He was named Rookie of the Year in 2009 as well, thus leading the All-Rookie Team of his batch before winning the Defensive Player of the Year plum the following season–two awards that are given by the PBA Press Corps.
Thrice a recipient of the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award, Norwood will also be remembered by many for his numerous stints with Gilas Pilipinas, highlighted by that ‘golden silver’ run in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship in Manila.
He then went on to become a member of the Philippine team that played in the FIBA Basketball World Cup for the first time in nearly 40 years back in 2014, and was also part of the squad that played in the next edition five years later.
(C) Julius Domondon/Milcu Sports
Norwood, who has also won Southeast Asian Games and William Jones Cup titles, has already begun transitioning into coaching. He was part of the Gilas Youth staff that competed in the FIBA U16 Asia Cup last September.
“Basketball has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember,” reflected Norwood, who actually played a solid stretch for a severely undermanned Rain or Shine during the Season 49 Philippine Cup.
“From playing Division 1 basketball for George Mason University, to proudly wearing the Pilipinas jersey with Gilas and to finding a home with Rain or Shine in the PBA, the journey has been nothing short of incredible,” he added.
“I put everything I had into this game, and in return, it has given me more than I could ever ask for–the unforgettable moments on the court, the battles won and lost, the lifelong friendships, the love of the fans, and above all, a family.”
Without a doubt, an exemplary athlete, the 40-year-old will begin his retirement tour when Rain or Shine makes its season debut versus the 0-1 Meralco Bolts on Saturday, October 11, at the Ynares Center II in Montalban, Rizal.
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