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PBA: Cone pays tribute to 'chemistry guru' Joe Devance

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="PBA Images" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/06/02/20220602-cone-pays-tribute-to-joe-devance-1-pba-images.jpg"/><figcaption>Joe Devance won 12 championships during his 16 seasons in the PBA. PBA Images.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines -- Tim Cone was not surprised that Joe Devance has decided to step away from basketball, but it&#x27;s still a topic that saddens the multi-titled head coach.&quot;I keep getting to answer that question,&quot; Cone said on Thursday, during the PBA&#x27;s media day ahead of its 47th season. &quot;And every time you ask, it depresses me. I feel depressed.&quot;Devance, 40, announced on Wednesday that he was retiring after a PBA career that spanned 16 seasons. He won 12 championships -- all of them with Cone as his coach. They were virtually inseparable: Cone coached Devance in Alaska, reunited with him in the Purefoods franchise, then traded for Devance when he was appointed as head coach of Barangay Ginebra.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/06/01/22/pba-ginebras-joe-devance-announces-retirement">READ: Ginebra&#x27;s Joe Devance announces retirement</a></li></ul>&quot;He&#x27;s my longest tenured player,&quot; Cone mused. &quot;More than Johnny [Abarrientos] or Jojo [Lastimosa] or any of those guys.&quot;They had talked about his looming retirement, Cone said, so it was not a shock to see Devance make a formal announcement. The Ginebra coach revealed that he offered Devance a place in the coaching staff, but the Filipino-American forward wanted to explore other possibilities in the United States at the moment. Devance was limited to a reserve role in his final conference with Ginebra, and he played just seven games in the 2021 PBA Governors&#x27; Cup. But for Cone, Devance&#x27;s impact -- especially towards the latter part of his career -- has always extended beyond the court.&quot;Joe was such a huge presence on our team and he&#x27;s been a huge presence for me through the years,&quot; he noted. &quot;He&#x27;s our chemistry guru,&quot; Cone said. &quot;He was the one that always set up the chemistry for our team.&quot;&quot;He was the one that motivated players, he was the one where if a player had a problem they&#x27;d go to him and talk to him first before the coaching staff ever heard about it.&quot;<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="PBA Images." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/06/02/20220602-cone-pays-tribute-to-joe-devance-2-pba-images.jpg"/><figcaption>Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone. PBA Images.</figcaption></figure></div>Devance was the first overall pick in the 2007 PBA Rookie Draft, and throughout his career he earned eight All-Star selections and was a three-time member of the PBA Mythical Second Team. Cone lauded his versatility: Devance was a big man who could bring down the ball and initiate their offense, and during his prime he was the fulcrum of the triangle.As the years passed, however, it was his leadership and personality that made Devance invaluable to Cone and his teams. The coach marveled at how Devance could bring a team together, noting that it was what made the big man so special.&quot;As he started to grow as a player, as a person, and get a little older, it became more about his personality and his leadership and his relationships with players,&quot; said Cone. &quot;He&#x27;s the one guy that knew about relationships and how powerful they could be. And how he can use it to his advantage.&quot;&quot;I was talking to Jared Dillinger before he came over here and he told me that throughout their careers they were always on rival teams,&quot; Cone added. &quot;But when they became teammates, he said he&#x27;s like he&#x27;s been my friend forever.&quot;&quot;That&#x27;s the kind of impression Joe leaves on people. Just a great, tremendous person.&quot;It&#x27;s a trait that will be greatly missed by Cone and the Ginebra organization, especially with Devance opting not to take a coaching position with the team for now. Cone won&#x27;t deny that he will personally miss Devance, having come to rely on the player over the years both in and out of the court.&quot;I feel, literally, daily insecure not having him there to help me out and talk to players and be there,&quot; the coach said. &quot;That&#x27;s a huge void we&#x27;re gonna have to fill on the team. It&#x27;s not gonna be easy.&quot;&quot;But someone&#x27;s gonna have to step up, we&#x27;re gonna have to figure out a way to keep that chemistry and leadership without him,&quot; he added.If and when Devance decides to return to the Philippines, Cone assures that there will be a place waiting for him in his coaching staff.&quot;He&#x27;s got a welcome place back with us. We understand and know his value, and we certainly love to have him back any time that he&#x27;s ready to come back,&quot; he added. &quot;But right now, he&#x27;s just exploring his chances in the States.&quot;<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2061561" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Tim Cone was not surprised that Joe Devance has decided to step away from basketball, but it's still a topic that saddens the coach.

PBA: Cone pays tribute to 'chemistry guru' Joe Devance

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PBA: Cone pays tribute to 'chemistry guru' Joe Devance

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 02, 2022 07:13 PM PHT

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basketball

PBA

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings

Joe Devance

Tim Cone

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