Compton; Mapait ang paalam

"This is my last contract in the PBL, and the PBA has said no so yes, I am retiring," salaysay ni Alex Compton nang magtapos na ang kanyang karera noong Huwebes. "There were still some things I would have wanted to do, but I’m also excited to see what’s next for me out there."

Apat na taong namalagi si Compton sa PBL, kung saan siya lamang ang dayuhang ipinanganak sa Pilipinas na pinayagang maglaro. Subalit ngayon, wala na siyang mapupuntahan, dahil sarado ang pinto ng PBA.

Nagsimula si Alex noong 1998 para maglaro sa Manila MetroStars sa Metropolitan Basketball Association. Matapos ang walong taon, MBA MVP, at kampeonato sa dalawang liga, tapos na ang kanyang paglalaro.

‘All I can say is what a ride," dagdag ng Cornell graduate. "I just feel so blessed to be play basketball and get paid for it. And eight years is quite a run."

Saanman daw siya mapadpad, Pilipinas pa rin ang kanyang magiging tahanan.

"I know that, wherever I end up working, I will always call the Philippines home. There is something about the closeness, the belief in a big family, the ability to joke around and smile at things, that jibes with who I am as a person. It all boils down to the people. When you embrace a culture, like I have, and it embraces you back, that’s something."

Sa paggunita ng kanyang walong taon dito, bumalik siya sa simula, sa dalawang matalik na kaibigan sa MetroStars, Peter Martin (ngayo’y team manager na sa PBL, at Romel Adducul ng Barangay Ginebra.

"I’d give Pedro (Martin) assists for dunks, and he’d protect me on the court. Pretty good deal, isn’t it?" tawa ni Compton. "I guess it’s like when there’s war or something, and you share that kind of experience, you form a bond. You know you’ve all sacrificed and pushed each other, and even if we don’t see each other, we can just pick up."

Huling bahagi sana ng kanyang pangarap ang makakuha ng PBA championship. Pero ngayon, alam niyang di na mangyayari iyon.

"Yeah, I would have wanted that, that was one of my dreams," pag-amin ni Compton. "At first, I said I would play with whoever would take me. But now, two of my best friends - Romel and Eric Menk - are with Ginebra, so I would’ve wanted to play with them. They’re both great big men, and you need that to win. As a guard, I know how important they are to a team."

Patunay lamang ito na ang batas ay walang pinalulusot, kahit na siyang kasinghusay na tao tulad ni Alex Compton.