ONE among the triumvirate of June Mar Fajardo, Christian Standhardinger and CJ Perez is to have a date with history as MVP plum winner then Meralco and Magnolia clash in a lone game to highlight the opening night of PBA Season 49 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Fajardo is to become an eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player awardee if either Standhardinger or Perez fails to get the needed number of votes to snatch the most coveted plum in the Leo Awards.
What looks like a sure thing is all of the three claiming spots in the First Mythical Selection ---- another highlight of the annual awards in a big night also featuring the Season 49 opening rites.
The Leo Awards ceremony commences at 4 p.m. to be followed immediately by the Season 49 inaugurals. PBA chairman Ricky Vargas will declare the official opening of the new season, then the Bolts and the Hotshots clash at 7:30 p.m.
It's P49 for Season 49 - a gift by the league to the PBA fans where tickets for the Big Dome upper box and above sections were pegged at P49 on a first-come, first-served basis as part of the league celebration.
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It's a grand Sunday festivities, showcasing not just the hard court warriors but a bevy of beauties serving as muses in the traditional parade of teams.
In the impressive roster are Julie Ann San Jose for Barangay Ginebra, Ms. World 2024 Krisnah Gravidez for Blackwater, Myrtle Sarosa for Converge, Rere Madrid for Magnolia, Olympian gymnast Aleah Finnegan for Meralco, Inday Fatima for NLEX, Charmaine Skye Chua for NorthPort, volleyball star Jema Galanza for Phoenix, Sophia Bianca Santos for Rain or Shine, karate champion Jamie Lim for San Miguel Beer, Annabelle McDonnel for Terrafirma and Atasha Muhlach for TNT.
PBA veterans Justin Brownlee (Ginebra), Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (TNT), Allen Durham (Meralco), Aaron Fuller (Rain or Shine) and Antonio Hester (Terrafirma) banner the list of imports at least on opening day. They will be joined by Converge's Scotty Hopson, NorthPort's Taylor Johns, Blackwater's Ricky Ledo, Magnolia's Glenn Robinson III, NLEX' Myke Henry, Phoenix' Jauveous McKinnis, San Miguel's Jordan Adams.
Durham, a multi-Best Import award winner, is rejoining the Bolts in a drive for another title following a breakthrough in the most recent PBA tourney.
To start the quest, the Bolts are tangling with the Hotshots, runners-up to the San Miguel Beermen in last year's Commissioner's Cup.
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Coach Victolero and his Hotshots will be reinforced by no less than a former NBA slam-dunk king, seven-season veteran in the majors.
Durham is determined to win a championship in his fourth try.
"Yeah, basically (it's that)," said the three-time Best Import. "I'm getting towards the end of my career and I want to give the PBA one more shot and try to get a championship."(SB)
