Asia's oldest pro basketball league will have its first All-Star festivities in three years.
The funniest gimmicks, the most thunderous dunks, the flashiest dimes, and the most spectacular moves in Philippine basketball can be found in the PBA All-Star Weekend.
This year’s hoops extravaganza will take place from March 9 to March 12 in Passi City, Iloilo. In honor of the fans who’ve been waiting for this event since 2020 due to the pandemic, let’s revisit some of the finest moments from the league’s most star-studded affair.
Just to not over complicated things, let’s have a cutoff ‘til year 2013, exactly 10 years ago. Game!
June Mar binuhat lahat
In 2019, there was supposed to be a battle between a legendary center and the reigning top big man in the PBA. Instead, June Mar Fajardo held Benjie Paras from the waist and literally gave him an extra lift, allowing the Tower of Power to throw it down despite his age (lol).
We also saw The Kraken do the same thing with diminutive point guard Emman Monfort in 2018. The 5-foot-6 floor general was even game enough to act as if he was scared to come back down while hanging on the rim.
Terrence Romeo breaks all-time PBA All-Star Game scoring record
Of course, we have to include the time when Terrence Romeo made the Luzon leg of the 2018 PBA All-Star Game his personal playground. From his sick crossovers to his impossible step-back threes, Romeo dazzled his way to a record 48-point performance in Batangas en route to winning the All-Star Game MVP trophy. The FEU product, who beat the previous record of 44 points shared by James Yap and Dylan Ababou, led the way for the Smart All-Star National Team who outlasted the Luzon All-Stars, 152-149.
The Kraken eludes The Spark
Fajardo also has his own shining moment in the All-Star Game. In 2017, the towering Cebuano did his best Kyrie Irving impression to embarrass his defender, who happened to be Mark Caguioa.
Apparently, The Kraken had a nifty behind-the-back dribble in his bag, and a smooth layup to finish things off.
Jumping Japeth Aguilar
Some of the PBA’s most devastating rim-rattlers came from Japeth Aguilar. Of course, he keeps the fireworks coming during All-Star Games. Three years ago, he detonated one while jumping over the league’s 6-foot-10, then-five-time MVP.
That’s just one of Aguilar’s many NBA-quality slams over the course of his eight PBA All-Star appearances.
Jeff Chan’s clutch three
From their dramatic win over South Korea in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship to their sprited run in the 2014 FIBA World Cup, the 2013-14 Gilas Pilipinas squad had a ton of amazing memories. Among their greatest hits is Jeff Chan’s buzzer-beater that ended the 2013 All-Star Game tied at 124.
The matchup at that time was PBA’s best players going up against the national team. Obviously, the Gilas boys refused to lose.
Mindanao All-Stars’ gallant stand against Gilas
There are a couple of standout plays from this 2017 contest. First was Mo Tautuaa’s two consecutive rejections over Fajardo, who suited up as Gilas' center. It happened during a crucial juncture as well, so the electrifying swats really had the crowd going wild.
Second was Mark Barroca's clutch triple with less than 50 seconds left to end the bout at a 114-114 draw.
Behind-the-back alley-oop
The 2018 All-Star Game’s Visayas leg was also held in Iloilo. Those who saw the ridiculous sequence, especially the live audience, for sure, haven’t forgotten RR Pogoy’s behind-the-back alley-oop connection with Aguilar.
Luckily for the Ilonggos, they’ll have more plays of that nature to remember as the PBA and its brightest stars make a return.
Arwind Santos’ Spider-man dunk
Just kidding!