3 former MVPs lead selection panel for additions to PBA 50 Greatest Players

Three former top awardees are set to lead the panel for the selection of players to be added into the PBA 50 Greatest Players as the league nears its golden anniversary on April 9.

League commissioner Willie Marcial announced that former Most Valuable Players (MVPs) Allan Caidic, Ramon Fernandez, and Atoy Co will be part of the committee that will identify the 10 players to be inducted in the prestigious list.

Champion coach Dante Silverio, former league commissioner Sonny Barrios, former sports editors Ding Marcelo (Bulletin), Al Mendoza (Philippine Daily Inquirer), The Philippine Star sports editor Nelson Beltran, who is also the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) president, and veteran broadcasters Quinito Henson and Andy Jao are also chosen to take part in the selection process.

The 10-man panel will convene on February 6 where the members will carefully review players by batch starting in the league's birth back in 1975.

Marcial added that he will suggest the outright inclusion of San Miguel big man June Mar Fajardo after becoming the only player to ever win eight MVP plums.

"Isa-suggest ko na rin na si June Mar pasok na (50 Greatest Players). Pero depende pa rin yan sa committee. Magpa-facilitate lang naman yung PBA," said Marcial.

In 2014, the league named 15 additional players for 40 Greatest Players with James Yap and Mark Caguioa leading the list. Also added back then were Danny Ildefonso, Willie Miller, Jayjay Helterbrand, Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, Kelly Williams, Arwind Santos, and Jimmy Alapag.

Marc Pingris, Jayson Castro, Chito Loyzaga, Kerby Raymundo, and Marlou Aquino were also included following a special selection committee led by Robert Jaworski and Freddie Webb.

Before them, these greats were hailed as the 25 Greatest Players in 2000: Jaworski, Caidic, Fernandez, Co, Jerry Codinera, Alvin Patrimonio, Johnny Abarrientos, Bogs Adornado, Renato Agustin, Francis Arnaiz, Ricardo Brown Hector Calma, Philip Cezar, Kenneth Duremdes, Bernie Fabiosa, Danny Florencio, Alberto Guidaben, Freddie Hubalde, Jojo Lastimosa, Lim Eng Beng, Samboy Lim, Ronnie Magsanoc, Vergel Meneses, Manny Paner, and Benjie Paras.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News