Arnold Van Opstal announces end of La Salle career

MANILA, Philippines – A day after it was reported that De La Salle University Green Archer Arnold Van Opstal would sit out the 2015 UAAP season to rehabilitate an injury, the big man announced on Instagram on Wednesday, July 22, that his La Salle career would be coming to an end.

Van Opstal, thankful and appreciative of his time as a Green Archer, said “I was raised green and will forever be grateful.”

The 2013 UAAP Most Improved Player of the Year also confirmed that he is going to sit out the upcoming UAAP season to remedy “an ongoing Achilles injury, which has never had time to fully heal.”

“I am sitting out for the season for the benefit of my basketball career,” Van Opstal said.

Van Opstal, who played 13 games in Season 77, averaging 8 points and 6 rebounds in 21 minutes according to pba-online.net, sustained the injury during UAAP and D-League action last season.

“It’s impossible to put into words how much this team means to me and how transformative this experience has been,” Van Opstal, who also studied high school in a La Salle institution – De La Salle Zobel – said on his Instagram post.

It pains me to announce that after 4 of the best years of my life, my career in La Salle is coming to an end. For those of you who are asking why, I am sitting out for the season for the benefit of my basketball career, as I have been suffering from an ongoing Achilles injury, which has never had the time to fully heal. It’s impossible to put into words how much this team means to me and how transformative this experience has been. I would like to say thank you to everyone who supported me throughout this incredible journey, from the alumni, animo squad, journalists, photographers, fans, students, coaches, my beloved team mates, and of course God. I would not be who I am without you guys! From La Salle Zobel to DLSU, I was raised green and will forever be grateful. No one can ever take away the moments we shared as one family, one Animo, one La Salle. I hope that you all will continue to support me, as I am DETERMINED to come back stronger, faster and better to tackle my next frontier, the PBA. This is not the end but only the beginning. Love you guys always, ANIMO LA SALLE!

A photo posted by arnoldvanopstal (@arnoldvanopstal) on Jul 21, 2015 at 8:20pm PDT

The big man also posted that he is determined to return stronger and faster for the next step in his career – the Philippine Basketball Association – which indicates he will likely apply for the league draft in 2016.

Van Opstal won one championship in 2013 with the Green Archers. 

– Rappler.com