Dennis Rodman, Scottie Pippen excite Manila fans

NBA and PBA stars hold a press conference for the PLDT All-Star Basketball Challenge at the Mall of Asia Arena. PHOTO BY RODEL ROTONI

MANILA, Philippines—Airport employees and passengers went into a frenzy at the sight of former National Basketball Association superstars who arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Tuesday afternoon.

The former NBA players, led by Dennis Rodman and Scottie Pippen, arrived in the country for an exhibition match with Philippine Basketball Association stars at the newly constructed Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The NBA stars arrived onboard a Malaysian Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur where they had just completed a series of exhibition games.

Basketball fans milled around and took pictures of the towering players using their cell phone cameras.

The basketball players went through the normal airport procedures that every passenger had to go through. They were seen queuing at the immigration counters.

Apart from Rodman and Pippen, other players for the “All-Star Basketball Challenge 2012” include Horace Grant, Jason Williams, Mitch Richmond, Clifford Robinson, Jeffery Trepagnier, Charoy Bentley, Alexis Foyl, Chris Campbell, Victor Hoe Alexander and head coach Oscar Robertson.

The match is scheduled to take place at the MOA  Arena in Pasay City at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (July 18).