Jabbar, NBA legends in town for game with PBA selection

National Basketball Association (NBA) legends led by Kareen Abdul Jabbar got a taste of Filipino hospitality Monday when they arrived in Manila for a friendship game this week. Jabbar and his crew - Vlade Divac, Tim Hardaway, Robert Horry and Dominique Wilkins - blew into town and found themselves mobbed by fans at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. According to a radio report, airport employees got out of their workplaces and asked the visiting players for autographs and photo opportunities. The NBA legends, who came in with players from the NBA Development League (D-League), will face an all-star selection from the Philippine Basketball Association in the much-anticipated NBA Asia Challenge 2009 event at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday. Backstopping Jabbar and Co. will be D-League players Billy Thomas, Christian Ellis, Derrick Dial, Marcus Hubbard, Russell Robinson, Jay Humphries and Clarence Smith. With them are "Sly Fox," the mascot of the New Jersey Nets, and the New Jersey Nets dance team. Slated to face the NBA legends are PBA greats Allan Caidic, Alvin Patrimonio, Kenneth Duremdes, Benjie Paras, and Ronnie Magsanoc, and current stars Sonny Thoss, Willie Miller, Wynne Arboleda, Marc Pingris, Joseph Yeo, Dondon Hontiveros, Enrico Villanueva, Arwind Santos, and Jay-R Reyes. Joseller "Yeng" Guiao, mentor of the Powerade-Team Pilipinas team that placed eighth in the last Fiba-Asia men's championship, will coach the PBA quintet. - GMANews.TV