The 2002 FedEx Express season was the 1st season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
FEDEX-Airfreight 2100 buy out the Tanduay Rhum franchise before the 2002 PBA season started. Team Owner Bert Lina, emphasizing that his company is the biggest courier company in the world, aims to make a big splash in its initial season. The newest ballclub absorbed four players from the defunct Tanduay and went for the biggest catch by choosing 6âÂÂ8 Yancy De Ocampo from the multi-titled PBL ballclub Welcoat House Paints as the number one overall pick in the 2002 PBA draft. FedEx also took in De Ocampo's Welcoat teammate Renren Ritualo at eight overall. Coach Derrick Pumaren, who was the last coach of Tanduay Rhum Masters, will handle the coaching job for FedEx.
Former Tanduay forward Bong Hawkins was among those absorbed by FedEx during the off-season, but a controversy sparked when Hawkins wanted to have the same terms of the salary he had with Tanduay while the FedEx management wanted to negotiate a new contract. Hawkins was later shipped to his former team Alaska. The management pay him about Php 4.2 Million, even Hawkins was not playing for the FedEx in 2003.
<br><br>