WILL the reigning MVP retains his hold of the crown? Can the former multiple winner regain his crowning glory? Or will there be a new king ascending to the throne?
The PBA Annual Leo Awards is set to provide the answer on Sunday when the league honors the top achievers of Season 47 including the MVP and Rookie of the Year.
Last year's winner Scottie Thompson, six-time awardee June Mar Fajardo, and Christian Standardinger are contesting the league's top individual plum in one of the tightest MVP races in recent years.
The 4 p.m. awards rites presented by Arena Plus will precede the formal opening of Season 48 where Magnolia Hotshots and TNT Tropang Giga collide in the lone game set at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
All top three candidates each won the Best Player of the Conference award - Fajardo in the Philippine Cup, Thompson in the Commissioner's Cup, and Standhardinger in the Governors' Cup.
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Fajardo and Thompson ended up winning the championship in the All-Filipino (San Miguel) and Commissioner's Cup (Barangay Ginebra), respectively, while Standhardinger fell short of claiming the title as the Kings finished runner-up to the TNT Tropang Giga in the season-ending conference.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo, though led all candidates in the stats department, averaging 42.2 statistical points compared to Thompson's 35.5 and Standhardinger's 33.6.
CJ Perez, another San Miguel player, is considered a darkhorse for the MVP plum as he finished second behind Fajardo in the statiscal race with 36.1, while consistently in the running for the Best Player of the Conference award during the entire season.
Thompson, Fajardo, and Perez, incidentally will be honored as part of the Gilas Pilipinas team that reclaimed the Asian Games gold medal in Hangzhou, China after 61 long years.
Joining the three national team members in the awarding ceremony which serves as one of the highlights of the Leos, are players Japeth Aquilar, Chris Newsome, Kevin Alas, Calvin Oftana, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, and Arvin Tolentino, along with the coaching staff led by Tim Cone.
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Justin Brownlee and Ange Kouame are currently abroad.
Also to be given out is the Rookie of the Year plum being contested by Renato Ular, Justin Arana, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Tyler Tio, and Gian Mamuyac.
Other awards at stake are the Mythical First and Second Teams, All-Defensive Team, Most Improved Player, and the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship honor.
The top MVP contenders are automatically cinch as Mythical Team candidates, with Thompson and Perez leading the guard spots along with Maverick Ahanmisi, Alas, Aaron Black, Robert Bolick, Jayson Castro, Jio Jalalon, Roger Pogoy, and Mikey Williams.
Fajardo and Standhardinger show the way in the center and forward slots together with Calvin Abueva, Jamie Malonzo, Oftana, Jeron Teng, Tolentino, and Don Trollano.
Both Fajardo and Standhardinger are also candidates in the All-Defensive Team among centers and forwards, joining Abueva, Aguilar, Arana, Rodney Brondial, Andreas Cahilig, Rome Dela Rosa, Poy Erram, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Cliff Hodge, Glenn Khobuntin, Malonzo, Dave Marcelo, Gabe Norwood, Jason Perkins, and Kelly Williams.
Among guards, Perez and Thompson also lead the way along with Newsome, Jalalon, Mamuyac, Mark Barroca, Kib Montalbo, Mike Nieto, Kevin Racal, Ross, and Alec Stockton.
For the Most Improved Player, the candidates are Ahanmisi, Malonzo, Tolentino, Trollano, and RK Ilagan, while the Sportsmanship Award named after the great Samboy Lim, the nominees include Alas, Black, Castro, Fajardo, Thompson, and Paul Zamar. (RG)
