Remembering Jimmy Alapag's Top 4 moments

Image from FIBA.

*This first appeared on FIBA.com.

One of the most revered and loved Philippine basketball players is finally hanging up his sneakers for good. In a YouTube video posted a couple of days ago, veteran Filipino playmaker and three-point specialist Jimmy Alapag announced his second and final retirement from the game.



"It's been an amazing 13 years,” said Alapag. “But turning 39 next month and having left everything that I have on the basketball court, it's time to walk away for good."
The 1.75m Filipino-American actually first retired from the national team two years ago, but he resumed active duty to replace an injured Jayson Castro in the 2014 Asian Games. He retired from the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) not long after, but he eventually returned, too, donning the Meralco Bolts’ colors until the 2016 PBA Governors' Cup. Before that point, he spent his entire pro career with the Talk N Text club.

#MyBrothersKeeper All love @m3rcmywords Repost from @m3rcmywords @TopRankRepost Dear @jalapag3 I really don't know how to start this letter, so I'll start by saying THANK YOU... thank you for taking a 23 year old kid that for the first time was in a different country all by himself scared to death. I remember after the first month or two I was ready to go home and give up on my dream of playing professional basketball. I was lonely, uncomfortable, miserable (mostly from taking taxis from makati to Reyes gym everyday for practice) and ready to pack up and leave... but God had other plans! I remember when I first met you at sports camp in the fort at your practice, I thought to myself "this is the guy that everyone talks about?!? He's tiny!" LOL little did I know the HEART you had... For whatever reason you took me under your wing and my whole outlook on my situation changed instantly... I had a role model/big brother to look up to and try and follow his steps as a professional basketball player. You showed me more than that tho... u showed me what it is to be a professional MAN! From how u treated strangers to how u treated family, you instantly became one of the best guys I ever met. All your accomplishments in your career weren't some fluke... I seen u wake up at 5am to go shoot with coach Kirk before your day started. I seen the countless hours u put in before and after practice. Literally the "first guy in last guy out" I sit here BLESSED to say that I slept in the attic of my favorite player of all time, I spent countless hours whooping your ass in 2K and I started eating instant spicy chicken flavor noodles because of you. LOL I THANK YOU Jim for showing me how to be the ultimate professional and the best version of myself that I can be, I THANK YOU for saving me from going home and sticking it out telling me "it will all be worth it" you were right! I THANK YOU for setting a bar for all of us to TRY and reach in this league. I pray that God continues to bless you in whatever path He has next for u. Whatever it is I am sure you will make your mark there as well. Happy Retirement Jim I love you and I'm blessed to be able to call you my BROTHER!

A photo posted by Jimmy Alapag (@jalapag3) on Nov 3, 2016 at 8:30am PDT

Now we look back on Alapag’s best moments. We know that he was a PBA champion, All-Star and Most Valuable Player. Of course, we also know that he was an influential and productive member of Team Philippines many times starting in 2007. Most recently, Alapag also wore jersey #4 for the Philippines, which is why we’re looking at the Top 4 moments of his storied basketball career.

1. Alapag debuted for the Philippines in the FIBA Asia Championship 2007.



Coming off being banned from international competition, the Philippines returned to continental action in 2007, and Alapag was at the vanguard, leading the team in scoring with 16.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc.

2. He returned to Gilas Pilipinas in 2011 and helped them to a top four finish.

Image from FIBA.

Alapag missed national duty from 2008-2010, but he was called up again in 2011 as Gilas Pilipinas embarked on a renewed campaign to restore the Philippines' former glory. He served as a mentor to young studs like Chris Tiu, Mark Barroca and JV Casio as the Filipinos broke into the top four for the first time since 1987.

3. Alapag helped carry Gilas to second place in 2013 and their first World Cup win in forty years.



Alapag was instrumental as Gilas Pilipinas finished second in the FIBA Asia Championship 2013, especially his clutch performance against Korea in the Semi-Finals, but the cherry on top was his timely shooting in the Filipinos’ historic win over Senegal to close their FIBA Basketball World Cup 2014 campaign.

4. He broke the all-time PBA record for total three-pointers made.



Just this past PBA season, Alapag overtook legendary shooter Allan Caidic to become the league’s all-time three-point shooting leader. He officially broke Caidic's 17-year record in Game Two of the Governors' Cup Finals against the Ginebra Gin Kings.


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