MANILA – Ranidel de Ocampo has returned to his former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team Talk ‘N Text (TNT) KaTropa but will not see any court action.
KaTropa team manager Gabby Cui said the Tanza, Cavite-native has agreed to join the coaching staff of TNT just three months after retiring from professional basketball.
“Coach Ranidel has wealth of championship experience and basketball knowledge. It will definitely help [us] reach our aspirations for another championship,” said Cui on June 29.
“We were talking na (with de Ocampo) even before coach Tab (Baldwin) left,” he added.
Cui clarified that de Ocampo will not replace the position vacated by Baldwin, who will focus on Gilas Pilipinas and Ateneo de Manila University Blue Eagles.
The 38-year-old de Ocampo is among KaTropa’s decorated players. He won a total of six PBA championships with the team during his stint from 2008-2017.
Also a mainstay for Gilas Pilipinas, de Ocampo was part of the team that won silver during the 2013 FIBA Asia Men’s Championship and clinched a berth in the FIBA World Cup in Spain.
The KaTropa traded de Ocampo to sister-team Meralco Bolts where he spent the final three seasons of his playing career until deciding to hang his jersey this year due to various injuries./PN
