Pro league to fete 15 at 40th Season bash Wednesday

Fifteen players, led by two-time MVPs James Yap, Willie Miller and Danny Ildefonso, will be enshrined in the PBA’s list of 40 Greatest Players Wednesday in ceremonies commemorating the league’s 40th Season at Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila.

The affair starts at 7:30 p.m. with the initial 25 inductees, led by four-time MVPs Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio and the legendary Robert Jaworski, expected to attend.

Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, Kelly Williams, Jay-Jay Helterbrand, Arwind Santos, Mark Caguioa and Jimmy Alapag, all former MVPs, and Jason Castro, Marc Pingris, Kerby Raymundo, Chito Loyzaga and Marlou Aquino are the other new members of the elite list.

The league first came up with its “greatest players of all-time” list in 2000, when the league celebrated its 25th anniversary.

“Forty will never be enough—we’ve had so many great PBA players since 1975,” PBA board chair Patrick Gregorio said. “But to celebrate our 40th season, we had to do the difficult task of naming the 40 greatest PBA players—the pillars of the league.”

Sportswriters who were there during the birth of the league in 1975 will also be feted. Gus Villanueva, Lito Tacujan, Ding Marcelo, Eddie Alinea and the Inquirer’s Jun Engracia and Ernie Gonzales will receive plaques during the ceremonies presentedby Smart, Resorts World Manila, Dickies, Blackwater, NLEX, Toby’s Sports, Hungry Juan, RnJ Jewelry Class Ring and Metalcraft Inc. and Blackwater.