Limpot sees end of career?

By Nelson Beltran
The Philippine Star
Saturday, September 8, 2007

Jun Limpot, the 1993 Rookie of the Year awardee and once one of the most talented big men in the pro loop, may have seen the end of his playing career at age 35.

It’s all over for Limpot’s stint in the PBA unless he finds a new team after having been told at Purefoods that he won’t be given a contract-extension as a Tender Juicy Giant.

Noy Castillo, the 1998 Rookie Draft second pick, was signed up as Purefoods’ 11th man and given a one-year extension Thursday.

Vic Pablo, the No. 2 pick behind Limpot in the 1993 Rookie Draft, is another player looking headed for retirement this year as he was no longer re-signed at Talk n Text.

If Limpot and Pablo fail to sign up with another team, Johnny Abarrientos and Olsen Racela would be left as the only remnants of the illustrious Batch 93 of the annual drafting.

Abarrientos, the third pick after Limpot and Pablo, at 37, still has a live contract with Barangay Ginebra and so does Racela, 36, with San Miguel Beer.

Other senior players in the league are Batch 94 survivor Rey Evangelista, Batch 95 players Jeffrey Cariaso, Dennis Espino and Kenneth Duremdes and Batch 96 star Marlou Aquino.

Limpot had made the top 20 in all-time scoring ladder after 14 seasons with three teams in the local pro league. He was No. 1 among all active players last year.

The top rookie in 1993, the former La Salle star also made the second mythical team that year and in 1997 but didn’t win his first PBA championship until 2002, his second year at Purefoods.

He played a key role in their conquest of Red Bull in the 2002 All-Filipino Finals but injuries had him spending most of the time on the bench last season.

Still being considered to be signed up by Purefoods are Richard Yee, Paul Artadi, Ardy Larong, Robert Sanz, Arnold Gamboa and Alex Crisano if he can fix his citizenship problem.

Larong was picked by Alaska in the recent draft but was given clearance to try out with other teams.

Coach Ryan Gregorio said he would use the pre-season tourney as the final evaluation for those aspiring for berths in the team.