Camille Naredo

Gilas Pilipinas center June Mar Fajardo in action. FIBA photo

Article (news)

FIBA

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1787587799743082426_JMF.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Gilas Pilipinas center June Mar Fajardo in action. FIBA photo"/>Gilas Pilipinas center June Mar Fajardo in action. FIBA photo</div>MANILA – At 36 years old, Gilas Pilipinas veteran June Mar Fajardo is considering calling time on his national men&#x27;s basketball career, over a decade since he made his debut in 2013. Fajardo hinted on Monday the two home games against Jordan and Iran for the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers could be his &#x27;last dance&#x27; for the flag. &quot;Posibleng last two games ko na ito sa national team,&quot; he told reporters in a press conference at the Mall of Asia Arena. The 12-time PBA champion was referring to the games against Jordan and Iran to be held in the same venue on Friday and Sunday, respectively. &quot;Matanda na ako. I&#x27;m 36 na... Ayoko isagad yung katawan ko. Nafe-feel ko na may masakit sa akin. Pero gusto ko ba maglaro ng basketball. Nag-eenjoy pa ako maglaro ng basketball pero hindi ko ma-eenjoy yun pag may masakit na hinihinda,&quot; Fajardo explained. The Gilas big man said he would rather give his national team spot to the younger players, citing the fast-paced style of play on the international stage. <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/8/24/fiba-now-fully-healthy-kai-sotto-thrilled-to-help-gilas-rediscover-form-1548">READ: Now fully healthy, Kai Sotto thrilled to help Gilas rediscover form</a></div>&quot;Mahirap yung sa national team kasi yung competition dun, high-level talaga yung competition. So yun takbuhan. Ibibigay ko yung spot ko sa iba na lang. Nakikita ko naman marami naman may mga young guys like Justin [Arana]. Sobrang taas ng potential na mapabilang sa national team. Sobrang bright na yung future sa national team with the sana young guys,&quot; he pointed out.Fajardo had suffered a gruesome leg injury six years ago, which made him reflect on the importance of rest. He considers himself blessed to be given a second chance in the sport, allowing him to reach more milestones with the national team.&quot;Sobrang blessed ko nga na nakabalik ulit ako. Kasi after nga nung nabali yung tibia ko, naputol yung tibia ko, naisip ko nga na di na ako makakabalik sa basketball eh,&quot; he said. &quot;Nabigyan ako ng second chance. Sobrang blessed ko na mapasali ulit sa national team. Nakasali pa ako sa Asian Games na nanalo ng gold. Sobrang blessed. World Cup pa ako after nung incident na yun,&quot; Fajardo added. <div> </div><div>&#x27;I&#x27;M NOT GONNA LET HIM RETIRE&#x27;<img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178758783048320230914-gilas-men-women-practice-MD-5.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Gilas Pilipinas center June Mar Fajardo in practice, September 14, 2023 in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File"/>Gilas Pilipinas center June Mar Fajardo in practice, September 14, 2023 in Pasig City. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News/File</div>Right before Fajardo faced the media, Gilas head coach Tim Cone shared how the gentle giant told the team about his possible swan song. &quot;After the last window, after the Australian game he [Fajardo] gave a long speech in the locker room about how he was going to retire from Gilas similar to what Japeth [Aguilar] did previously the year before,&quot; Cone shared. &quot;I mean I was happy for him and... players were slapping him on the shoulders thanking him and everything but I was thinking at the same time, he ain&#x27;t retiring. I&#x27;m not gonna let him retire,&quot; he explained. With the return of Kai Sotto still in doubt back then, Cone said he knew they could not afford to lose the services of Fajardo in their upcoming assignments.  Gilas program director and team manager Alfrancis Chua personally talked to Fajardo to return for the crucial fourth window.  <div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/8/24/fiba-quiambao-ready-to-seize-the-moment-amid-rise-with-gilas-pilipinas-1953">READ: Quiambao ready to &#x27;seize the moment&#x27; amid rise with Gilas Pilipinas</a></div>&quot;We made a plea to June Mar that we still really needed him. We felt that at this level, when we&#x27;re playing true, I would say true Asian teams — these are Middle Eastern teams. We&#x27;re not playing Oceania teams. We feel June Mar can make a bigger impact on teams like this,&quot; Cone shared. &quot;We&#x27;re really appreciative of him continuing to make that extra effort and you know he&#x27;s been playing a long time, he plays a lot of minutes at San Miguel. And you know he&#x27;s beat up, but he&#x27;s still coming in and joining us and giving us his best. So no one appreciates June Mar more than me. I really love the guy and I love that he sacrifices to keep coming in here and playing,&quot; he added. When asked why he keeps coming back for the national team, Fajardo said it&#x27;s hard to say no when it&#x27;s for the country.&quot;Siyempre isang karangalan na maglaro sa national team. Sobrang blessed ko na mapabilang sa national team. Hindi mahirap para sa akin na mapasali sa team. So, every time na may window, tinatawag yung pangalan ko,&quot; he said. <div> </div><div>NO ASIAN GAMES FOR THE KRAKEN</div>After the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers window, Fajardo said he is no longer looking to play in the 20th Asian Games next month. Fajardo was part of the Asiad squad that won the historic gold in men&#x27;s 5x5 basketball at the 2023 edition in Hangzhou, China. &quot;Marami naman players sa Asian Games. So bibigay ko na lang yung spot ko sa iba para ano naman, ma-experience naman nila. Kasi na-experience ko na yung Asian Games, so might as well bigay ko sa iba yung experience na yun,&quot; he said. Since making his national team debut in 2013, Fajardo has won gold medals in the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games, competed in three editions of the FIBA World Cup (2014, 2019, 2023) and played 68 games. Whether or not he makes the decision of hanging up his Gilas jersey, Fajardo believes the future looks bright for the national team.

At 36 years old, Gilas Pilipinas veteran June Mar Fajardo is considering calling time on his national men's basketball career, over a decade since he made his debut in 2013.

At 36 years old, Gilas Pilipinas veteran June Mar Fajardo is considering calling time on his national men's basketball career, over a decade since he made his debut in 2013.

June Mar Fajardo pondering nat'l team retirement after 13 years with Gilas

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June Mar Fajardo pondering nat'l team retirement after 13 years with Gilas

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 25, 2026 12:13 AM PHT

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