CURTAIN CALL | RYAN REYES

Ryan Reyes quietly retired this season, and it was so quiet that you might not have even realized he played last season.

Yes, Reyes suited up for just one game for TNT in the Governors’ Cup, where he grabbed a single rebound before sitting out the rest of the year. Known as “D-Energizer” for his speed, playmaking, and tenacious defense, Reyes was a crucial part of Talk N Text’s near–grand slam run, serving as one of the team’s key players off the bench. Playing behind Jimmy Alapag and Jayson Castro, he helped make the Tropang Texters perennial contenders. His hustle and energy even earned him stints with Gilas Pilipinas.

However, the emergence of RR Pogoy eventually limited his role and chances to elevate his career. Reyes found himself in the same boat as Harvey Carey and TNT's version of Ali Peek—players too talented to be backups but stuck in those roles anyway.

This wasn’t always the case, though.

Alongside Kelly Williams, Reyes was part of the Sta. Lucia Realtors’ championship core. In his rookie year, the Realtors captured a title, and Reyes looked like a future franchise cornerstone. Unfortunately, the team soon folded, and months later, Reyes, Williams, and Charles Waters were sent to TNT in a three-team trade. The deal brought Ali Peek and several San Beda players (Yousif Aljamal, Pong Escobal, and Ogie Menor) to the Realtors, while Barako Coffee acted as a conduit and ended up with Mark Isip and a future second-round pick that became Borgie Hermida.

Afterward, the Realtors were sold to the Meralco Bolts, while Barako Coffee took a leave of absence during the 2010–11 season. They later returned as the Shopinas Clickers, who rebranded as the Air21 Express before selling their franchise to the MVP Group to become the NLEX Road Warriors.

That Barako–Air21 name shuffle remains one of the biggest sources of confusion in PBA franchise history.

If you think about it, Kelly Williams also took a step down when he joined TNT. Still, he continued to earn accolades despite his reduced scoring, much like what Marc Pingris did for San Mig Coffee. As for Reyes, he embraced the role of a supersub—a role he thrived in for almost 15 seasons. Could he have had a better career with another team? Probably. But the PBA at the time was stacked with point guards of every style.

If a prime Ryan Reyes played today, he could easily fit in with Blackwater instead of RK Ilagan, Terrafirma in place of Jerrick Ahanmisi, or Phoenix instead of Tyler Tio. He could even thrive as the lead guard for Titan Ultra over Fran Yu or serve as a Chris Ross–type defender for San Miguel’s Death 5.

Reyes turned 42 this year, and given his injuries and limited appearances, his decision to retire feels right.

Still, it’s hard not to wonder what could have been had Sta. Lucia kept its core intact. On the bright side, unlike many journeymen, Reyes enjoyed long-term stability with TNT. He represented the classic Fil-Am guard archetype of his era and, in retrospect, had a better career than several of his contemporaries, such as Josh Urbiztondo, Justin Melton, Denver Lopez, Josh Vanlandingham, Shawn Weinstein, Chris Timberlake, and Alex Mallari.

So, was it better for him to stay loyal to TNT or try his luck elsewhere? It’s a toss-up. But one thing’s for sure—while he never became a superstar, Reyes retired as an eight-time PBA champion and a three-time All-Star.

And honestly, for some players, holding a championship trophy with a victory drink in hand means more than putting up big numbers on a losing team.