PBA aces thrilled over stint with NBA Legends

MANILA, Philippines - Just the mere thought of playing on the same court with the likes of cage greats Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dominique Wilkins and Robert Horry is enough to give Philippine Basketball Association players a thrill.

Never mind even if Kareem and Co. are already way past their peaks.

Dondon Hontiveros, Joseph Yeo and former league Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kenneth Duremdes are all looking forward to next week’s NBA Asia Challenge meet that give them the opportunity to play alongside the former NBA legends.

“It’s an honor playing with them who are our basketball heroes and inspirations,” said Duremdes.

 Duremdes, Yeo and Hontiveros were with PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios and PBA operations manager and technical head Rickie Santos in yesterday’s PSA Forum at the Shakey’s UN Avenue branch to promote the Sept. 11 event at the Araneta Coliseum.

Aside from Jabbar, Horry, and Wilkins also suiting up for the NBA side are Tim Hardaway and Vlade Divac. They will be reinforced by players from the NBA Developmental League.

The local side, meanwhile, will have Duremdes, Yeo, Hontiveros, four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio, Benjie Paras, Allan Caidic, Ronnie Magsanoc and active players Arwind Santos, Willie Miller, Wynne Arboleda, Enrico Villanueva, Sonny Thoss, Jay-R Reyes and Marc Pingris.

Barrios said the one-day meet is a testament to the fine working relationship the PBA had with the NBA.

“We do look forward to this event since it cements the strong relationship the PBA had with the NBA,” the commissioner said in the session supported by Outlast Battery, Shakey’s, Accel and Pagcor.

“This is something that I talked to with NBA commissioner David Stern when I was in New York two years ago,” he added.

Santos said the event will use FIBA ruling that features a 10-minute per quarter playing and mandatory timeouts.

Top rookie Japeth Aguilar was originally part of the PBA roster, but was dropped from the lineup at the last minute when the 6-foot-9 former Western Kentucky University cager opted to forego his first playing season in the league.