MANILA, Philippines—LA Tenorio returned from retirement on Sunday at the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup in Manila as a playing coach for the Magnolia Hotshots, where he admitted he felt like a rookie again but quickly adjusted to his new dual role during his debut game.
Tenorio, who has played in the PBA for more than 20 years, came back to active duty after previously announcing his retirement and joined Magnolia’s roster while also serving on the coaching staff.
He said he experienced initial jitters when he checked into the game but added that he settled down shortly after gaining his rhythm on the court.
Team officials confirmed that Magnolia enlisted Tenorio to provide veteran leadership on the floor while helping implement the coaching staff’s system during games.
Coaches and players on the Magnolia side relied on Tenorio’s experience to guide younger teammates in crucial stretches of the match.
Tenorio balanced his responsibilities by giving instructions during timeouts and then executing plays as a guard once he reentered the game.
He communicated regularly with the Magnolia bench to adjust strategies based on game situations and opponent matchups.
The veteran guard used his familiarity with PBA defenses to help orchestrate the offense and direct player positioning.
