TNT Tropang 5G elder statesman Jayson Castro is not yet hanging up his sneakers nor joining the trend of former players entering a new chapter of their basketball careers as head coaches.

Taking his sweet time to fully recover from a right knee injury, the Tropang 5G guard’s competitive fire remains blazing and looks forward to his return to action, hopefully, by the last quarter of the year.

Castro, 39, is working on his rehabilitation and strengthening to rejoin the team as soon as possible and help the franchise in its redemption bid in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup, erupting on 5 October.

“To be honest, I’m still enjoying my time as a player,” the 17-year veteran said.

“I think my competitiveness is still there. And I think it’s a blessing that I was injured and I was able to rest. So, I can recover.”

Castro suffered a full-thickness patellar tendon tear in his right knee during Game 2 of the 2024-2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals against Rain or Shine on 28 February.

The 2024-2025 Governor’s Cup Finals Most Valuable Player went under the knife last March as he sat out the rest of TNT’s second of two Season 49 title conquests and was sorely missed in the Tropang 5G’s failed grand slam attempt in the all-Filipino conference.

Castro hopes to suit up as early as November.

“I’m excited at the same time, I’m a bit nervous because this is my first major injury. There are some activities I still haven’t done yet. Hopefully, this coming last quarter of this year, my condition will be better. But the recovery is good, that’s all I can say,” he said.

“And even our doctors and our PTs are saying that my injury healing is fast.”

However, the TNT management wants the five-time Best Player of the Conference to return fully recovered.

“I can’t say, but I’m trying. That’s also our goal,” Castro said.

“And they (management) want me to come back 100 percent. I don’t want me to force myself to return but not 100 percent,” he added.

“But I’m okay. I think I can come back 100 percent. I’m more determined because I know that my career is not yet finished.”