PBA: Greatest Players List

There was recently a lot of brouhaha over the PBA's release of the addendum to their 25 Greatest Players List.  The addendum was composed of an additional 15 players to update the list to become the 40 Greatest PBA Players in time for the 40th PBA Anniversary.

The release of the "next 15" players resulted in a lot of criticism and controversy, from fans and even to ex-players who were not selected.  At the core of the discussion were questions on the selection process and selection criteria and the credibility of the selection panel.  And personally, as a fan of the sport myself who has been able to see most of the players, I do agree that there are questionable choices.

The bulk of the controversy centers on the absence of or gaps in the selection criteria.  For example, since being an ex MVP was part of the guidelines, there have been few issues on the inclusion of the ex-MVPs.  The focus of the controversy has been on the players who were not selected as ex-MVPs.  Olsen Racela fans, for example, question only whether Jayson Castro should have made the list ahead, and not whether Jayjay Helterbrand, who was an ex MVP, should have made it.

Given that being an ex MVP is part of the guidelines, that leaves out the most questionable of the candidates:  Marlou Aquino, Kerby Raymundo, Marc Pingris, Chito Loyzaga, and Jayson Castro.  The most popular names raised against them are Nelson Asaytono, Dennis Espino, Jeffrey Cariaso, Bong Hawkins, Abe King, Dindo Pumaren, Olsen Racela, Danny Seigle, Yoyoy Villamin, and Arnie Tuadles.  Manny Victorino has also been mentioned, being a former member of the elite protected list of players who could not play together on the same team.  Other former members of that list were 25ers Ramon Fernandez and Abet Guidaben, and the unlisted King and Villamin.

The issue here starts because it is driven by numbers, rather than by "greatness".  The PBA needs the number of players to be at 40, regardless of whether there is a delineation of greatness between 40 and 41.  In contrast, take the US Basketball Hall of Fame.  There is no minimum or maximum number who need to qualify.  All are rated against a standard and those that make the standard make it and those that don't do not.  There is no magic number to target. 

Taking away the limitation of numbers, perhaps there are only 35 greats that are justifiable by set standards.  Or maybe it should be more than 40.  Without the basis of any criteria and purely on personal bias, I would rate them as follows:

All Time Great:  Nelson Asaytono, Bong Hawkins, Abe King, Danny Seigle, Yoyoy Villamin, Olsen Racela

Non All Time Great:  Marlou Aquino, Kerby Raymundo, Marc Pingris, Chito Loyzaga, Dennis Espino, Jeff Cariaso, Dindo Pumaren

Jayson Castro I believe will eventually be an All Time Great but has not yet done enough as of now to make it.  As for Victorino, he is no better than Aquino/Raymundo/Espino but if being on the protected list becomes a criteria, then I would have no objection to him making it.