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PBA: Kelly Williams announces retirement

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2020/sports/09/07/20200907-kelly-williams.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Kelly Williams (21) has announced his retirement from basketball. <em>PBA Media Bureau</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> Former PBA Most Valuable Player Kelly Williams has announced that he is retiring from basketball.</p><p>Williams, 38, said on his social media accounts that he is announcing his retirement &quot;with gladness and sadness.&quot;</p><p>&quot;I could not have predicted that I&#x27;d have the kind of career I was able to experience,&quot; he said.</p><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE04HDTBq3A/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12" style="background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 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style="margin-left:8px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:50%;flex-grow:0;height:20px;width:20px"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:2px solid transparent;border-left:6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom:2px solid transparent;transform:translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div></div><div style="margin-left:auto"><div style="width:0px;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(16px)"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;flex-grow:0;height:12px;width:16px;transform:translateY(-4px)"> </div><div style="width:0;height:0;border-top:8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left:8px solid transparent;transform:translateY(-4px) translateX(8px)"> </div></div></div><div style="display:flex;flex-direction:column;flex-grow:1;justify-content:center;margin-bottom:24px"><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;margin-bottom:6px;width:224px"> </div><div style="background-color:#F4F4F4;border-radius:4px;flex-grow:0;height:14px;width:144px"> </div></div><p style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center;text-overflow:ellipsis;white-space:nowrap"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CE04HDTBq3A/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style="color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none" target="_blank">A post shared by Kelly Williams (@kxlwilliams21)</a> on <time dateTime="2020-09-07T07:01:51+00:00" style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px">Sep 7, 2020 at 12:01am PDT</time></p></div></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://www.instagram.com/embed.js" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Williams expressed his gratitude to the Philippines, saying it gave him &quot;a solid ground to grow as both a player and a man for the last 15 years.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Thank you PBA for giving me access to your stage for 14 seasons and to the great fans who supported me during my time. I gave my all when I put Pilipinas and my teams on my chest and I hope you felt that,&quot; he added.</p><p>He also thanked his teams, Sta. Lucia and TNT, and thanked basketball &quot;for being a safe haven to a young lost kid and bringing meaning to my life every year since 1991.&quot;</p><p>The Filipino-American forward was the No. 1 overall pick of Sta. Lucia in the 2006 PBA Rookie Draft. He went on to win Rookie of the Year honors, and helped the Realtors win the 2007 All-Filipino crown.</p><p>He was the PBA&#x27;s MVP in 2008, and in 2010, he was traded to the Talk &#x27;N Text franchise. There, Williams won five more championships.</p><p>In 2009, Williams was diagnosed with a rare blood disorder known as thrombocytopenic purpura that briefly halted his career. After his successful return in 2010, Williams won the first of two Comeback Player of the Year awards.</p><p>His announcement was greeted by messages of congratulation by his peers and coaches.</p><p>&quot;Congratulations, Kelly,&quot; said Chot Reyes, the former Gilas Pilipinas coach. &quot;Our road has not been smooth, but we always looked out for each other.&quot;</p><p>Former Gilas captain Jimmy Alapag congratulated Williams &quot;on an incredible career.&quot; &quot;Thankful we had a chance to go to battle together, in the PBA and the national team. Picked up some rings along the way too,&quot; he added.</p><p>Meralco forward Chris Newsome thanked Williams for paving the way.</p><p>&quot;Nothing but respect for you,&quot; he said. &quot;You inspired me more than you know, OG.&quot;</p>

<p>(UPDATED) Former PBA Most Valuable Player Kelly Williams has announced that he is retiring from basketball.</p>

(UPDATED) Former PBA Most Valuable Player Kelly Williams has announced that he is retiring from basketball.