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Joe Devance comes out of retirement to play for Ginebra
Joe Devance is coming out of retirement to mark his PBA comeback for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ahead of their 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals opening game against Meralco on Thursday, September 26.
The 42-year-old Devance announced the development on his Instagram account after posting a copy of the PBA memo on Tuesday, September 23.
PHOTO COURTESY: PBA
"Through it all it brought me back here! This is a surreal feeling I'm going through right now. This is the closure I wanted and needed," Devance wrote.
The league memorandum stated that Devance has been activated in the roster in lieu of rookie Paul Garcia, who has been relegated to the unrestricted free agent list.
Devance’s return to the big stage is expected to boost the Gin Kings’ championship bid following Isaac Go suffering an apparent knee injury in their 124-102 victory against Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last September 13.
“We’ve been looking around for a big man ever since Isaac went down with his injury and Joe’s sudden return to Manila was fortuitous,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone.
Devance, a left-handed Filipino-American forward, retired in June 2022 following 16 productive seasons in the PBA that began in 2007. He also won 12 league championships when he played for Alaska Aces, SanMig Coffee (now Magnolia), and Barangay Ginebra.
