Six-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo is favored to emerge as the top pick in the All-Star Game of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Rain or Shine veteran James Yap and San Miguel Beer dynamo CJ Perez both agreed that the 6-foot-10 behemoth will be taken early when stars formally assemble the composition of their respective teams.
The PBA is tweaking this year's All-Star Game by letting the fans select the top 24 players where a team captain will also be chosen. The skippers of both teams will alternately pick players from the remaining 22 to compose their respective squads.
Fans will also be given an opportunity to select coaches who will handle both teams.
A similar process will also be followed in the Rookies, Sophomore and Juniors, provided that there will be at least two rookies per team while two to three celebrity ballers are also being eyed to join.
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Yap said Fajardo's height, heft and overall dominance will be major considerations for team captains who want to win the exhibition match in the annual spectacle that will be making a return for the first time in three years.
"Well, definitely, it's June Mar Fajardo," Yap told Daily Tribune in a telephone conversation.
"With June Mar, you will have an immediate big man that is essential to a team. You won't have anyone as dominant as June Mar in the PBA."
Perez, Fajardo's teammate, agrees.
"Obviously, you'll need somebody like June Mar to start forming your team — whether it's an All-Star Game or if you're putting up a PBA team or needing a big guy to play for Gilas," Perez said.
"We all know that there's no one in the league as dominant as June Mar. Probably, the only player who could stop him is a big, dominant import or if he gets injured."
Fajardo has recovered from a fractured tibia and is back to his role as the PBA's immovable force, leading the Beermen in winning the Philippine Cup and nearly carrying the squad to another championship run in the Commissioner's Cup before losing to visiting squad Bay Area in the semifinal round.
Had it not been for his friendship with teammate Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio would also pick Fajardo if ever he gets chosen as team captain of the All-Star Game that will be held in Passi, Iloilo.
"My mind tells me to get June Mar because you need to form the best team out there, but my heart tells me otherwise and that is to get Scottie, our reigning MVP," Tenorio said.
