PJ Simon bids goodbye to professional basketball
All good things must come to an end.
Magnolia Hotshots superstar cager Peter June Simon, dubbed as the Scoring Apostle, shocked everyone today, September 23, when he announced his retirement from professional basketball.
PJ, who has been playing in the PBA for 17 years under the Purefoods franchise, posted on Instagram his official statement that he's hanging up his jersey.
He said, “Hindi ko inakalang posible pala para sa isang payat at maliit na bata mula sa Makilala, North Cotabato na makarating sa PBA.
"Hindi ko rin inakala na pagkatapos hindi mapansin nung 2001 PBA Rookie Draft na posible pa pala mag-iwan ng sarili kong marka sa liga.
“Nakakalungkot man pero ito na siguro yung tamang panahon para magpaalam sa liga.”
One of the reasons he cited for his decision to retire from PBA is his wife, former Binibining Pilipinas-Supranational 2018 Jehza Mae Huelar, who is is pregnant with their baby.
The couple tied the knot in a star-studded wedding in Tagaytay in May 2019.
PJ declared, “Kinailangan kong umuwi ng Davao nung nagkasakit at namatay ang father ko at nahirapan na rin akong makabalik dahil sa pandemya. Sign na rin siguro yun na ito na yung tamang time para magretiro.
“Binigay ko yung 17 years ng buhay ko sa PBA, sa Magnolia Hotshots, at sa lahat ng fans but now it's time to focus on my family. My wife is pregnant and gusto ko magkasama kami as we start a family.”
The Scoring Apostle also expressed his immense gratitude to San Miguel Corp. head honcho Ramon S. Ang and to all the people behind the Purefoods franchise.
“Sobra-sobra ang mga biyayang natanggap ko sa buhay ko especially sa aking PBA career at pinapasalamatan ko ng buong puso ang Panginoon.
“Naging sandalan ko ang Diyos sa bawat desisyon na aking tinatahak at pinapalangin ko na lagi akong gabayan ng Panginoon sa aking paglalakbay.”
He added, “Nagpapasalamat din ako kay Boss RSA na nagbigay ng oportunidad sa akin sa larangan ng basketball at negosyo, sa lahat ng naging coach at naging teammates ko sa loob ng 17 years sa paglalaro ko sa liga, sa mga support staff and management side, sa buong PBA, sa Magnolia franchise, at sa lahat ng fans na walang sawang sumuporta sa akin.
“Umaasa ako na magkikita-kita tayo sa panahon na iretiro ang aking numero.
“This is PJ Simon, The SuperSub, Your Scoring Apostle, signing out.”
The name PJ Simon quickly became a top-trending topic on Twitter Philippines this Wednesday afternoon, too.
In addition, several basketball personalities reacted to Peter June Simon's retirement news including Jimmy Alapag, Justin Melton, and Joe Devance.
Photos taken from PJ Simon's Instagram account
#JEHZtinedforPJ: PBA cager PJ Simon and Jehza Huelar tie the knot in Tagaytay