PBA: Nards Pinto grateful for another All-Star stint, but admits to asking to skip festivities

Barangay Ginebra guard Nards Pinto expressed his gratitude to the fans who voted him into the PBA All-Star for the second straight year.

 Pinto, though, admitted his reluctance to join the Bacolod festivities later this month.

“Last year sinabi ko na maraming deserving. Di ko goal na magpunta dito. Di ko sinasabi na ayoko, pero sinasabi ko maraming deserving sa spot na ito,” he said.

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Apart from that, there was prior commitment.

The 33-year-old guard recalled asking Commissioner Willie Marcial if he could beg off from the weekend spectacle owing to his child’s first communion.

“Sa totoo lang nagpaalam ako kay kume kasi first communion ng anak ko. Sabi ko baka pwedeng mag-pass. Sabi ni kume di pwede kasi binoto ka ng tao,” he said.

“Ayoko talaga magpunta kasi first communion pero gusto ni kume so wala akong magagawa. Di ko rin sinasabing ayaw ko kasi sobrang ungrateful naman ako sa mga bumoto sa akin.”

As he joins Team Barroca which features seven-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, TNT ace Jayson Castro, and Calvin Abueva, Pinto can only look to make the most of another All-Star stint.