Rugged Carey hangs up jersey after 17 seasons

FILE – Harvey Carey. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Harvey Carey, the last remaining member of the fabled TNT team that won the franchise’s first-ever title in the Philippine Basketball Association, has called it a career.The team announced on Monday that Carey, its 6-foot-3 bruiser from San Francisco, California, has retired after 17 seasons.

“While management regrets losing Harvey, who has been a great teammate, who leads with example and has been part of TNT since he started his career and helped us win championships, we do fully understand and appreciate [his] motivation to stay with his family in the USA (United States of America),” Ricky Vargas, the team’s governor, and the league’s chair, said in a press statement.

“He has been a quiet pillar of strength in building the TNT culture,” he added. “I am personally grateful to Harvey for his loyalty, honesty and contributions to the team.”Carey was drafted fourth overall in 2003 and made an immediate impact, nearly averaging a double-double in scoring and rebounding throughout his rookie season.That year, he also helped the Phone Pals to the All-Filipino title, backstopping a squad coached by Joel Banal which also featured Asi Taulava and then fellow rookie Jimmy Alapag.

Carey went on to win six more championships with the club. He also made the All-Defensive team in 2007 and the All-Star team in 2011.

“Not much can be said except that we could not have won any one of our titles while I was there without [Harvey],” said Chot Reyes, who coached TNT from 2008 through 2011.Carey was one of six players in their 40s to see action in the Philippine Cup held inside a bubble setup in Clark Freeport late last year.

Carey is tied with Alvin Patrimonio in second place for being the longest-tenured player in a single team. Mark Caguioa currently holds the top honor having played all his 18 years—and soon his 19th—with crowd darling Barangay Ginebra. INQ