Ex-cager Abe King visits RP

Former basketball star Abe King, now 50, thinks he can hold his against today's PBA players, if only he were still in his prime. "Magiging mayabang ako nito," the stocky one-time San Beda King Lion said at the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum on Tuesday. "Pero kung inabot ko ang basketball ngayon na ganyan kalinis, palagay ko makakalamang ako ng maraming beses." King appeared at the PSA Forum, held at the Shakey's branch on United Nations Avenue in Ermita, Manila, three days after arriving from United States, where he is now based. King, once the Toyota Tamaraws' resident power forward during their glorious days in the PBA, admitted he's still in touch with what's happening in the league that has been his life from 1977 to 1995. "Updated pa rin naman tayo sa PBA, maski naman sa basketball dito sa Pilipinas," King said. "Ang ganda nga ngayon dahil ang daming liga, so ang daming tsansa ng mga players na maka-paglaro." But he admitted having seen better days. "Tingnan ninyo nga ang mukha ko ngayon, mukhang boksingero na," he said, pointing to the cuts and bruises in his face that had been the result of a long 18-year PBA stint that saw him plays for teams such as Toyota, Great Taste, and Purefoods. King, who lives in Washington state, heads the PBA Legends USA Foundation, composed of former players of Asia's first ever play-for-pay league. The members still see action in a series of exhibition games for a cause in the US. The board members include Marte Saldana, Nonnie Robles, former Ginebra and Shell mentor Rino Salazar and Rufino Ignacio of Countryfair Hotdogs. The group's first major project was to raise money for the legal support of ex-PBA player Rudy Distrito. The 49-year-old Distrito, best remembered for hitting the game-winning shot in Ginebra San Miguel's dramatic Game 7 victory over Formula Shell for the 1991 PBA First Conference title, is serving time at a Northern Nevada jail for voluntary manslaughter of a Mexican in November of 2004. The foundation played a series of games in Los Angeles and other parts of the US to raise funds for Distrito. The good news, according to King, is that Distrito is already eligible for parole and may be released by next year. "The Board of Pardon in Nevada is already preparing the parole proceedings for Rudy. Kaya pinag-hahandaan na `yung release plans," King said. King flew to the Philippines to personally thank former PBA commissioner Noli Eala, Talk 'N' Text board representative Ricky Vargas, and San Miguel Corp. big boss Eduardo 'Danding' Cojuangco for helping the PBA Legends USA Foundation. "Ready kaming tumulong sa mga kapwa PBA players namin na nangangailangan ng tulong, dahil ang PBA was established as a wholesome family entertainment, kaya ang turingan namin diyang mga players ay parang magkakapatid," King said. A one-time Mythical team member who once scored 60 points for Toyota in 1979, King retired in 1995 after winning a championship with Purefoods, an experience which he considers as very, very painful. "Mahal ko kasi ang PBA," he said. The former cage great is set to return to the US Tuesday next week (October 23). - GMANews.TV