Norwood leaves PBA with full heart

Gabe Norwood spent the entirety of his illustrious Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) career playing for Rain or Shine.

A true franchise player, Norwood knew no other uniform but the one with the team that drafted him top overall in 2008.

His loyalty to the Raymond Yu and Terry Que-owned franchise was never about the guaranteed hefty contracts or the perks and privileges.

It’s deeper and more sentimental than mere signatures on a piece of paper.

“Man, but for me personally, I just want to thank Rain or Shine, played for one organization my whole career, only called one place home,” said Norwood, holding back his emotions, as he played his swan song for Rain or Shine in a sorry yet hard-fought 89-98 loss to Meralco in a win-or-go-home quarterfinals match of Season 50 Philippine Cup on Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s special to me. They took me in as a son back in 2008 and it’s been family the whole way through,” he added.

“It’s a special situation. It’s not transactional. It’s not like you sign on a dotted line and it’s over. It’s family in Rain or Shine and that’s what it’s been for me. Special moments every day. Being able to go to work happy, go home happy and how many jobs do you get to do that, right? How many jobs do you get to be happy every single day? The Lord has blessed me for almost 18 years and I know He’s not done blessing me after I’m done (with PBA).”

It wasn’t the kind of sendoff the 40-year-old veteran would’ve wanted as the Elasto Painters squandered a twice-to-beat advantage over the seventh-seeded Bolts, ending four straight semifinals appearances.

Norwood received a heartwarming applause and standing ovation from both the Rain or Shine and Meralco fans, players and officials as they honored a true gentleman of the sport.

He closed his colorful career as a starter, played for almost 22 minutes and submitted a final box score entry of three points, three steals, two rebounds and an assist.      

“I wasn’t planning on doing this. I was hoping it’s after a championship. But hats off to Meralco, first and foremost. They played a great series; they’ve proven that they’re one of the top teams in the league. Kudos to them,” the soft-spoken Filipino-American said.

Known for his athleticism and aerial acrobatics, Norwood fueled the franchise to two titles during his time — winning the 2012 Governors’ Cup and the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.

The George Mason product made an immediate impact in his debut in Season 34, helping the then-third year club reach the playoffs for the first time. His contributions as a leader and an offensive weapon turned the independent expansion squad into a serious contender.

Norwood capped his first year by winning Rookie of the Year — the team’s first of only two players to receive the honor.

During his PBA career, Norwood had a collection of individual awards. He was named in the PBA All-Defensive team seven times, won the Sportsmanship Award thrice and was a part of the Mythical Second Team during the 2008-2009 season.      Mark Escarlote

The 11-time PBA All-Star and 2009 Slamdunk champion also served the national team, winning a gold medal in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games, a Jones Cup title in 2012, silver medals in the 2013 and 2015 FIBA Asia Cup and a stint in the 2014 FIBA World Cup.

“We are just kinda disappointed that we wanted to give Gabe a really good exit. Sayang. But nonetheless, we should still give recognition to what he has done for the franchise the last 17 years,” Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao said.

“He is the epitome of loyalty and just decency and true to being a professional. I always say this, you can’t say anything bad against Gabe. Not one,” he added.