Former PBA player Paul Artadi wins San Juan City council seat

MANILA, Philippines – Former PBA player Paul Artadi struck gold in his first dive into the political arena after leaving the basketball court late last year as he claimed one the of the 6 council seats in San Juan City’s first district.

Running under the banner of the Nacionalista Party, Artadi ranked No. 6 in the city council race with 11,547 votes, finishing a neck-and-neck steeplechase with independent candidate Victor Jose Reyes for the last slot.

“I thank everybody who support, loved and believed in me. You can count on me to serve truthfully as your councilor of San Juan,” Artadi wrote on his Facebook in Tagalog.

The 35-year-old point guard decided to call it a career in 2015 after 12 seasons in the PBA. Following a career in the collegiate ranks with University of the East, Artadi drafted by Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in 2004 as the 11th overall pick.

As a back-up court general to Roger Yap, Artadi managed to help Purefoods capture the franchise’s seventh PBA title in the 2006 PBA Philippine Cup conference.

Aside from Purefoods, Aratdi played for 4 more PBA teams, including the Barangay Ginebra championship squad that topped the 2008 PBA Fiesta conference.

Artadi was traded back to Purefoods in 2009, having a pivotal role in the team’s successful campaign in the 2009-10 PBA Philippine Cup finals.

Artadi was last seen in a Blackwater jersey after being left off the “Protect 12” list by Meralco during the 2014 PBA expansion draft. – Rappler.com