Alaska Aces center Sonny Thoss and Magnolia Hotshots guard Peter June Simon earlier this year announced their retirement following the close of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, which is currently on hold due to ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus disease, or Covid-19. Both are playing in their 16th season.

“Yes, it is official, [my] body is already breaking down [and] starting to slow down,” Thoss said. “No regrets’ I enjoyed every bit of it－ups and downs in between－and it’s been a more than expected career.”

“I feel like I’m more of a liability on the floor than an asset,” he added. “I don’t want to put that on the team and hurt the team even more.”

For Simon, he said it was his time.

“Nakakalungkot dahil parang feeling ko, gusto ko pa, kaya ko pa. Pero sa tingin ko, eto na ‘yung time (It’s sad because I feel I would like to continue－I can－but looking at the situation, it’s time),” the Magnolia player said. “Marami kaming guards. Ang gagaling nilang lahat. Kaya ko rin naisip na ito na ‘yung time nila (We have many guards, they’re all good, and I thought, it’s their time now).”

“Mahirap kasi iwanan kasi sobrang mahal mo ‘yung basketball; first love ko talaga ang basketball (It will be heard to leave basketball; it was my first love),” he added.

Both teams are set to retire their respective jerseys./ASC, WDJ