Retirement far from Ranidel de Ocampo’s mind

MANILA, Philippines – Talk n Text forward Ranidel de Ocampo is looking forward to return to the game soon, not thinking about retirement despite the scary back injury he’s recovering from now.

“Once I recover, I’ll be okay,” said De Ocampo, now at home with much improvement after a weeklong hospital confinement for a herniated disc suffered in a freak accident during a weight training.

"Sa tingin ko, hangga't gusto nila ako paglaruin, maglalaro ako (I will continue to play for as long as my mother ball club wants me to),” said De Ocampo in an interview by ANC.

He draws inspiration from NBA great Michael Jordan and former PBA and Gilas Pilipinas teammate Asi Taulava.

"Si Michael Jordan nga, ang huling championship niya, 35 (years old). Si Asi Taulava, 42 na, naglalaro pa (Michael Jordan won his last NBA championship at age 35. Asi Taulava is still playing at 42),” De Ocampo noted.

De Ocampo is 33, playing his 12th PBA season after being drafted No. 4 overall by FedEx in 2004. In 672 career games, the former St. Francis of Assisi stalwart averaged 12.4 points, 6.18 rebounds and 1.96 assists.

He’s hopeful he’ll be up and about soon as he’s now able to walk around their house.

On October 25 at the Moro Lorenzo Sports Center, he was lifting weights when he felt a twitch on his back and subsequently could not move.

The doctors said De Ocampo could be out for six to eight weeks.

De Ocampo had played only one game in PBA Season 41 when he suffered the injury. He was very productive with 26 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and one block in a 98-114 loss to Alaska Milk two days before his accident.

But he hardly had a rest before that, coming from a stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the PBA off-season.

"Sa tingin ko pagod lang rin 'yung katawan ko, siguro from playing in Gilas, playing in Talk 'N Text, and then practices (It could be fatigue from playing for Gilas, Talk n Text and all the practices),” De Ocampo said.

He said he was working hard to show example to his teammates being their team captain at Talk n Text.