Pretty straightforward, really.
PBA Season 48, which was originally planed to open on October 15, 2023, will instead commence on November 5, the league announced on Monday.
The move paves the way for PBA players who are suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming Asian Games to get more time to rest.
"Hindi biro ang sakripisyo nila kaya dapat lang bigyan natin sila ng sapat na panahon para makapagpahinga," PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said in an article published on the league website.
Aside from affording rest to the national team members, over two weeks of postponement will only make a positive impact on PBA teams.
“Gusto rin natin makapaghanda ang mga teams para sa darating na season,” Marcial elaborated.
The Gilas squad for the Asiad is looking like a delegation comprised mostly of PBA players, led by returnees from the recent FIBA World Cup stint that include June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, and RR Pogoy—who were all present in the team’s first practice earlier today, Monday.
Chris Newsome, Calvin Oftana, Justin Brownlee, and Ange Kouame are the other Gilas World Cup pool members also in the current selection.
Two Gilas returnees Calvin Abueva and Terrence Romeo also made an appearance in the practice. Mo Tautuaa, Jason Perkins, and Stanley Pringle are the national squad’s newbies.
Kouame stands to be the only player without PBA ties at the moment, albeit he played for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters as an import in the recent William Jones Cup.
Despite the rescheduling, the PBA Draft will still take place on its original date, September 17, while the Draft Combine will happen on the 12th and 13th of the same month.