Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Life isn’t all that rosy once the lights fade on a professional ball player’s career.
Not every player can earn the money necessary to live out a comfortable life based on the short time that they spend playing at the highest level of basketball in the country.
Finances can be a a serious problem, especially when they could not find a source of income equal to what they had earned as players after their time in the league. And when tragedy strikes, things can get increasingly difficult.
PBA legend Jojo Lastimosa has taken it upon himself to spearhead the creation of ‘Hoops for a Cause,’ which will bring together a team composed of a combination of the Alaska and San Mig Coffee grand slam winning teams, and a Ginebra team composed of talent from the past and present.
The Grand Slam side will be headed by current Alaska coach Alex Compton, while the Ginebra side will be led by the head coach of the current team, Tim Cone.
Proceeds for the event will benefit former PBA stars who require financial assistance due to unforeseen tragedy.
Initially, the event was conceptualized to aid former Alaska cager Roehl Gomez pay for the cancer treatment for his daughter, former Mutya ng Pilipinas-Tourism International Rizzi Gomez.
According to Lastimosa, his former teammate was in dire need of assistance after helping his daughter fight off cancer for the past four years.
This effort also brought focus to the plight of other former PBA players in need.
Samboy ‘The Skywalker’ Lim was included as part of the group of beneficiaries, to soften the financial burden his family has suffered as he recovers from a crippling heart attack that he suffered in November 2014.
The last recipient of aid is former Purefoods guard Roger Yap, whose ancestral home in Cebu was gutted by a fire, leaving him and his family very little financially.
“There should be more of this,” said Lastimosa, as he explained how difficult life after the limelight fades could be.
“We want to create awareness that players who retire have a hard time after their time in the league.”
‘Hoops for a Cause’ will be played at 7 p.m. on Friday (October 9) at the Cuneta Astrodome. Tickets are available at TicketNet outlets.
