Final buzzer sounds for Marc Pingris' glorious career

Jean Marc Pingris, one of the most energizing figures in Philippine basketball, has hanged up his sneakers for good Tuesday, ending his sixteen-years of playing experience that saw him became one of the most endeared personalities of the game.

On his Instagram post, the dynamic big man reflected on his long career in the Philippine Basketball Association when it began in 2004, where he was picked third by FedEx in the what was one of the most stacked draft classes in the history of the country’s premier league.

“Doon nagsimulang matupad ang pangarap ng isang batang palengke,” proudly wrote the former PSBA Jaguar, who made his mark in the paint despite his lack of size by making it up with his hustle and grit on the court.

On those playing years, Pingris was more known from his stint with the Purefoods franchise where he won all but one of his nine rings in two tours of duty, including a rare Grand Slam in 2014 under the fabled Tim Cone alongside James Yap and Peter June Simon in what has been one of the most intimidating trios in the PBA.

Despite having limited minutes owing to his ACL injury in 2018, Pingris continued to be in the Magnolia Hotshots roster, often giving advice as one of the leading veterans for coach Chito Victolero.

However, he played his last game way back in 2019, where they were dethroned by TNT in the Governor’s Cup quarterfinal, as he was not even in action for the entirety of the 2020 season.

Apart from his PBA career, Pingris was well known for his exploits in international basketball, as he was integral to Gilas Pilipinas in the first half of the last decade under Chot Reyes and Tab Baldwin after making his debut in 2003, where the former was integral to his game plans in the dribble-drive offense.

With the national team, Pingris won two FIBA Asia silvers in 2013 and 2015.

When the country needed the most, the Pinoy Sakuragi showed up at the right place at the right time, especially in the 2013 FIBA Asia homestand where he defied the towering threat of South Korea after resident slotman Marcus Douthit went down injured in the first half.

In the semifinal, he put up a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds as Gilas finally ended the dreaded curse in a cardiac way to book their return to the Basketball World Cup the following year en route to a runner-up finish to unbeaten Iran.

His hard-nosed game, coupled with his fighting heart, continued in Spain, while along the way, reunited him with his long-sought father in France just before their warm-up tournament opener became one of the heart-tugging stories of the national team in their return to the global stage.

The fearlessness of Pingris was on full display in Sevilla, where his best game came in the opener against Croatia where he put up 10 markers in a gallant stand, only to stumble in the extras in a tight contest in Group B, one of the four consecutive setbacks before finally notching one against Senegal in their finale.

PHOTOS: FIBA