Cardona takes another step in rebuilding his life as he returns to basketball

Mac Cardona. PBA IMAGES

For Mac Cardona, his return to the hardcourt is not just a shot at a career revival, but also a new lease on life after he fell on hard times last year.

“I really lost my love for the game before. I lost my passion,” he shared on Tuesday after his first game with Zark’s Burgers in the 2017 PBA D-League Foundation Cup. “I really want to fix myself again. I want to go back to basketball so that I can bring my life back the way it was.”

It wasn’t the come back game the former La Salle star was hoping for as the Jawbreakers got blasted by Marinerong Pilipino, 119-74, in his D-League debut.

But it hardly mattered as the 35-year-old said that he really felt rejuvenated as he opened the newest chapter in his life with Zark’s Burgers.

“It was my first practice yesterday and I felt young again because I’m playing against younger players. I can feel that they respect me and as an elder, they don’t go that hard on me. I’m happy with my first game,” Cardona, who finised the game with 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists in 23 minutes of action, said.

Cardona’s decent showing was enough to convince himself that he still has a lot of gas left in his tank as he seeks to return to the PBA and extend his 11-year career in the pro league.

“I sought help to boss Danny (Espiritu) and told him I want to play in the D-League. Maybe they thought that I’m not serious because they say that the salary is small, but I told them that I’m willing to play for free. I just want to get my timing back. I feel that I can still hang with them, but I know that I need to work on my conditioning,” he said.

Though Cardona only has one game left with the Jawbreakers this conference to show that he still has what it takes to make it back to the PBA, he’s embracing this opportunity wholeheartedly as he hopes to make up for the lost time.

“I did lots of wrong things in my life. I made a lot of mistakes. But it’s not too late. God gave me a second life to correct myself and make up for all the sins I’ve done,” he said.