Ready To Enter The 21st Season At IBL, Wendha Wijaya Will Set A Record
JAKARTA - Wendha Wijaya will set a record as a professional basketball player with the longest career in the country when he navigates the 2022 Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) competition with Dewa United Surabaya.
For the 38-year-old basketball player, IBL 2022 is the 21st season. Before reaching the professional level, Wendha first joined the Halim Kediri basketball club.
After that, he appeared at the National Student Sports Week (POPNAS) in 1999 by presenting a gold medal for East Java. One year later, Satria Muda offered him to join the junior team.
Then, Wendha also made his professional debut in 2001 when he was promoted to the main main team of Satria Muda to compete in Kobatama.
"I played 10 years with Satria Muda until 2010. After that, I moved to Garuda Bandung until 2017, then moved to NSH Jakarta. In 2019 I moved to the Louvre which has now changed its identity to Dewa United Surabaya," Wendha said as quoted by Antara. , Wednesday, January 5th.
On this occasion, he also conveyed the most memorable moments during his career as a professional basketball player. "That is, when he was able to win five times with Satria Muda. The struggle was very hard because at that time Aspac also dominated by winning four times in a row," he said.
Now with Dewa United Surabaya, Wendha still has personal goals despite being labeled as a veteran basketball player. Wendha emphasized that he wanted to win with Dewa United Surabaya as long as he could still have a career as a professional basketball player.
"What is certain is that with Dewa United now with new management, new players, with a new spirit I want to win with Dewa United," he said.
If the title with Dewa United is realized, Wendha said that he would only think about retiring. However, it is possible that if he is still given the opportunity to play in the team, Wendha will continue his career in the Indonesian basketball world.
"I want to feel the last championship with Dewa United, after that maybe I will retire. But if I am still given the opportunity to play, I will definitely play no matter how old I am, but considering how my physical condition is," said Wendha.
"If I can still compete with others, of course I will continue to play. But if I feel that I am physically enough, and I have won with Dewa United, there I will retire," concluded Wendha.