Ravena not ruling out PBA return
Kiefer Ravena has been playing away from Philippine soil for nearly five years now. But he remains a respected figure in the sport’s landscape.
On Sunday, the crafty playmaker joined fans and some journalists in the live viewing of the B.League Finals between Ryukyu and Utsunomiya at Gateway Mall 2 in Quezon City, helping reinforce a bond that he helped forge when he decided to take his act in Japan.
“I’m just doing my part by growing the game,” he told a pair of reporters. “I’m just sharing my knowledge when it comes to basketball. Of course, my biggest success is the lives I’ve helped in the end, and the careers that I’ve helped to be successful.”
The former NLEX Road Warriors guard and Gilas Pilipinas fixture has been re-signed by Yokohama, extending his stay in the Land of the Rising Sun that began in 2021. But with a first child on the way and a wedding coming in two weeks, Ravena is not closing doors on a homecoming.
“It’s exciting,” he said. “I have one more year in Yokohama. Let’s see where basketball takes me—whether or not I come back here in the Philippines, play in the PBA once again, if my body can still (take all the playing).”
Ravena’s rights remain with NLEX, the team he suited up for before a Fiba ban and an overseas offer transformed his career.
“Right now, it was short-lived,” he said of his PBA stint, which has always been a dream of his growing up in a household run by his father Bong, a former PBA Rookie of the Year who now serves as a deputy to Chot Reyes at TNT.
“A suspension cut it short, the pandemic cut it short, and I had to focus on my career and [strive for] a better future. That’s where Japan came in, and I’m very appreciative of that. I don’t take it for granted.”
‘Nothing compares’
Ravena’s move, which came after his brother Thirdy turned pro with San En also in the B.League, opened the gates for more Filipino players to test their mettle outside home soil. There are seven more standouts currently employed in the B.League: Gilas cornerstones Dwight Ramos, AJ Edu and Kai Sotto, Matthew Wright, Ray Parks Jr., Roosevelt Adams and Geo Chiu. Former UP ace Francis Lopez is set to join the fray after signing with Nagoya.
“I think that’s the way to go, you know,” he said, referring to the Asian player quota. “If you really want to put things into perspective, that’s where you’ll see the level of your local talent, right? If you’re able to produce players who could play in the top leagues in the world.”
And while he continues to play at a high level abroad, Ravena is grateful for being continuously embraced by his own.
“Nothing compares,” he said with a smile.
