Pumaren bites the bullet, retires

Dindo Pumaren, one of the best guards to play in the Philippine Basketball Association, has decided to call it quits after seeing action for 14 seasons in the country’s premier cage league.

"Wala na rin naman tayong kailangan patunayan and I thought it’s better to quit while I’m still ahead," said the former ace La Salle Green Archer in announcing his retirement at 37.

"My team is still thinking what to do with me. I decided to retire before the draft para na rin makatulong sa team sa preparation nila sa drafting," he added.

Recipient of two Second Mythical Team membership honors and member of four Purefoods champion teams in a checkered PBA career that started in 1989, Pumaren said his only regret is failing to win a championship with brother-coach Derrick.

Dindo pointed out he was already thinking of retiring last year but opted to stay on with Derrick getting the job at FedEx.

After consultation with his wife Jeanette, Dindo finally bared his decision in a dinner with his family Thursday night. The three Pumaren coaches were there – the father Pilo and older sons Derrick and Franz.

Dindo’s plan is to attend coaching clinics in the United States then return to entertain coaching offers from at least two college teams.

In what proved to be his final hurrah in the PBA last year, the player called "The Bullet" logged 109 points, 154 assists, 65 rebounds and 43 steals. He was No. 1 in assists and No. 2 in both the steals and assist-to-turnover ratio departments.

"May asim pa rin at napatunayan pa rin naming matatanda na hindi pa rin kami basta-basta magogoyo ng mga bata," said Pumaren, the second oldest player in the league last season – next to Jojo Lastimosa (38).

Alaska coach Tim Cone said he’ll decide on Lastimosa’s fate after the draft. Purefoods coach Eric Altamirano and Red Bull mentor Yeng Guiao said the same thing on Ronnie Magsanoc and Nelson Asaytono, respectively. FedEx has released Zaldy Realubit.

If Magsanoc and Lastimosa also decide to hang their jerseys, 1988 batchmates Alvin Patrimonio and Jerry Codiñera will be left as the senior citizens in the league. Benjie Paras, who joined the league during the talent-laden 1989 draft in the company of Pumaren, Asaytono and Realubit, is doubtful whether he’ll still return to active duty for Shell.

Pumaren, a member of the bronze-winning Philippine team in the Seoul Asian Games in 1986, is No. 3 in the all-time assist ladder and No. 5 in steals at the time of his retirement. He led the league in assists for nine seasons.

He amassed a total of 4043 assists, behind only Robert Jaworski’s 5825 and Ramon Fernandez’s 5220, and a total of 902 steals, next only to Fernandez’s 1302, Bernie Fabiosa’s 1235, Johnny Abarrientos’ 994 and Jaworski’s 937.

He had 5248 points for 44th overall in the scoring ladder and 1571 rebounds. He’s No. 16 in three-point conversions with 323 and one of only 15 players who logged at least 20,000 playing minutes, having played 20,746 minutes for four teams (Purefoods, Pepsi, Tanduay and FedEx).

Before playing college ball for La Salle, Pumaren suited up for San Beda in high school, teaming up with fellow future pros Magsanoc, Altamirano, Paras, Gerry Esplana and Macky de Joya in a formidable squad that won the NCAA and the national secondary crowns in the early 80s. — Nelson Beltran