PBA: After jersey retirement, Arwind Santos not ruling out return

Arwind Santos during his San Miguel jersey retirement ceremony. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Arwind Santos is not ruling out the prospect of returning to the hardcourt even if his number was retired by San Miguel Beer.

Santos said following the jersey retirement ceremony Wednesday at Philsports Arena that anything remains on the table, including the possibility of once again donning the Beermen jersey.

“Retiring my jersey doesn’t mean that I will no longer play,” Santos said in Filipino. “My love and passion for basketball is there. We can’t say what the future holds.”

The 2013 Most Valuable Player confirmed there were earlier plans of him playing in the Beermen’s 124-109 win over the Blackwater Bossing in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Pasig City venue.

But complications such as his rights being held by NorthPort eventually led to that planned one-off to be nixed. Instead, a ceremony that lasted 15 minutes and attended by past teammates, family and friends was held.

“I understand that there were some complications because there might be a need for a contract or a trade,” Santos said. “I just took the importance of what they told me, which is that there will be a ceremony.”

Santos played for San Miguel from 2009 to 2021 before being traded to NorthPort in exchange for Vic Manuel.

His last PBA appearance was in the 2023 Governors’ Cup for the Batang Pier before taking his act to the MPBL with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns.