Pennisi retires after 17 seasons in PBA

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Mick Pennisi has decided to hang up his sneakers for good.

The 42-year-old big man has opted to end his 17-year PBA career as he pursues his poultry business overseas.

GlobalPort team manager Bonnie Tan shared Pennisi bid the team goodbye on Friday as he leaves for Thailand to focus on other matters.

“He told us his plans long ago, but we wanted to keep him until the end of this season,” said the affable team executive.

The Batang Pier wanted Pennisi to at least barge into the PBA’s 5,000-point club as he sits 33 points shy from achieving the feat.

However, the Fil-Australian center could no longer stay, sharing that his move has long been scheduled.

“He said that it’s been set for a long time now and he can’t back out. We respect his decision,” said Tan.

An Eastern Michigan product, Pennisi burst into the league as one of the players elevated by the Red Bull franchise in its entry to the PBA, establishing himself as one of the league’s deadliest snipers.

He has since won five titles in his stops with Red Bull, San Miguel, and Star, while also seeing action in Barako Bull, Phoenix, and finally GlobalPort.

Pennisi retires with a career average of 7.6 points on 35 percent shooting from three, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. He is also seventh in the list of all-time career three-pointers made, trailing legendary marksmen Jimmy Alapag, Allan Caidic, Ronnie Magsanoc, Dondon Hontiveros, James Yap, and Al Solis.

With Pennisi ending his PBA run, that leaves Asi Taulava, Jayjay Helterbrand, and Hontiveros as the league’s eldest statesmen.