MANILA – Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) legend Nelson Asaytono is now in stable condition after suffering a heart attack early last week, according to player agent Danny Espiritu.
Espiritu said in an interview with ESPN 5 over the weekend that the retired PBA forward was taken out from an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and was later discharged from a hospital in General Trias City in Cavite.
“Yes, he suffered from a heart attack but his former teammate Bong Alvarez said he’s already okay. Though four days ago, he (Asaytono) was still in the ICU,” Espiritu said.
NLEX Road Warriors Assistant Vice President Ronald Dulatre, who plays basketball with Asaytono once in a while, said in a separate interview that the 53-year-old PBA player is now out of danger.
“Sa bahay na lang magpapagaling,” said Dulatre. “Nagtanong na rin sa akin si Jolas (Jojo Lastimosa, NLEX deputy coach) tungkol sa health situation ni Nelson.”
Asaytono – second overall pick of the 1989 PBA rookie draft class – played for 17 seasons in the pro league. He has won seven PBA championships with Purefoods, Swift and with Red Bull towards the late stages of his pro career.
The native of Oriental Mindoro retired as PBA’s No. 5 all-time scoring leader with a total of 12,268 points in 2006.
The 6-foot-4 Asaytono was also a four-time Mythical Second team member and a two-time Best Player of the Conference. He, however, was denied as member of both the league’s 25 Greatest Players and 40 Greatest Players lists of all-time.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, meanwhile, said on Sunday that the league will definitely extend financial assistance to Asaytono, who was known in the PBA as “The Bull.”
“Oo, tutulong kami. Pati ‘yung mga legends nag-usap na rin sila na tutulong kay Nelson,” Marcial said in a statement. “Ina-aarange na natin paano maipapa-abot ‘yung tulong ng PBA kasi nga naka Enchanced Community Quarantine pa tayo.”/PN
