Former NBA Rookie of the Year Chris Paul is joining five-time champion Kobe Bryant in the starting five of the NBA selection playing Smart Gilas Pilipinas and a PBA selection in a dream two-game series set July 23 and 24 at the Araneta Coliseum.
MVP Sports Foundation officials Al Panlilio and Chot Reyes announced in a press conference last night that the blockbuster event is a go.
Dubbed the Ultimate All-Star Weekend, the event pits the NBA stars against the PBA team at 7 p.m. on July 23 and versus Smart Gilas at 1 p.m. the following day.
“The MVP Sports Foundation takes pride in bringing US basketball superstars and world-class basketball entertainment to Filipinos with the Ultimate All-Star Weekend,” said Panlilio.
“In cooperation with Smart, PLDT, Meralco, Maynilad, TV5, Metro Pacific Tollways and Investment Corp. and Philex Mining, the MVPSF is raising funds in line with its vision to uplift Philippine sports and develop Filipino athletes,” Panlilio added. “It is also the gift to the Filipino basketball-loving public by Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Manny V. Pangilinan.”
“We’re proud to announce that a select group of superstars are coming over to play our own PBA All-Star selection and Smart Gilas Pilipinas in a couple of dream matches,” said Reyes, who will coach the PBA selection.
The Los Angeles Lakers star, who played eight minutes with the UAAP All-Stars against Smart Gilas in a Nike event at the Big Dome Wednesday, will be back serving as player-coach of an eight-man NBA selection including Paul, Tyreke Evans of the Sacramento Kings, James Harden of the Oklahoma Thunder, DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers and Derrick Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Reyes said they’re still finalizing a deal with two more players that would complete the NBA team.
“It could be one more MVP and one more Rookie of the Year,” said Reyes, hinting they might also get the nod of reigning MVP Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and former ROY awardee and two-time scoring champion Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma Thunder.
PBA commissioner Chito Salud and chairman Rene Pardo said the league readily approved the weekend basketball extravaganza.
“This was unanimously approved by the board of governors to help the MVPSF in this rare occasion. We’ll not let this event pass,” said Pardo.
Salud said the PBA selection will be composed of James Yap and Marc Pingris of BMeg, Mark Caguioa and JC Intal of Ginebra, Arwin Santos and Rabeh Al-Hussaini of Petron Blaze, Ryan Reyes, Jason Castro and Larry Fonacier of Talk N’ Text, Sonny Thoss and LA Tenorio of Alaska, Sol Mercado of Meralco, Gary David of Powerade, Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine and Danny Seigle of Air21.
Talk N’ Text’s Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag and Ranidel de Ocampo, Meralco’s Asi Taulava and Air21’s Dondon Hontiveros will suit up with the Nationals who are preparing for the FIBA-Asia Championship in Wuhan, China.
“We’ve had sleepless nights and we’re really glad this will happen,” said Panlilio, who added proceeds from this two-day event will go to the MVPSF and its eight sports beneficiaries including basketball, football, taekwondo, badminton and running.
Panlilio said tickets are pegged at P5,700 for patron seats, P3,800 for lower box, P1,600 for upper box and P350 general admission.
“We’d like to make it as affordable as possible for our fans to have a chance to watch the games,” said Panlilio.
source: thePhilStar
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