When the MBA folded in 2002, only a handful of originals were still playing for their teams. Romel Adducul stuck – despite rumors – and together with the other MBA poster player John Ferriols, tried their best to restore MBA’s quest to become the country’s best pro league.
Unfortunately, they failed… so they went to the PBA.
Sure, we think that MBA was a scrappy upstart eager to press down an establishment. We hated the fact that they robbed stars out of college and we hated the fact that looking at a commercial league, they actually looked better. They stole guys like Ato Agustin, Bong Alvarez, and Vince Hizon from PBA play.
Just like what ABA did to the NBA.
But let us remember that without the ABA, guys like Moses Malone, George Gervin, and Julius Erving couldn’t have been instant stars right away.
Now, almost five years later since the league dissolved, we look back at the players that headlined the MBA and see what they are doing. While some MBA prime guys (like Dave Bautista – not the wrestler but the Pampanga Dragons guy) never made the jump to the big league, most PBA teams liked the guys they got from the other league.
Here are my picks for the 11 biggest players ever to make it big in the MBA-PBA jump.
(They should have stuck with the MBA for at least a season or at least in the first four years of the league. Therefore guys like Marc Pingris and Billy Mamaril are excluded)
If this was a Best 15, John Ferriols, Eddie Laure, Dale Singson, and Rob Wainwright could have made the list.
The asterisk*: JAYJAY HELTERBRAND
Briefly, almost unspotted, played for the Batangas Blades (he entered midway thru the first season), he emerged at the PBA as Ginebra’s direct hire Fil-Am. He did appear pretty, pretty briefly in Batangas, so his stature as one of the league’s best finds is at question.
11. PETER JUNE SIMON
For some freaky encounter, raw and basically unheard of, he snuck his name in the 2001 PBA Draft where he was picked in the fourth round. He was one of the youngsters picked to play for the revamping Davao Eagles (one of the young guys picked was Jondan Salvador). Anyway, he was one of those players who benefited on the MBA, becoming the top guy in his team. When the league folded, he played for Hapee where he controversially won the PBL MVP despite claims that it should have been Welcoat’s Jojo Tangkay (another player who briefly played in the MBA Iloilo Megavoltz team). Now playing for Purefoods, he is instant offense off the bench playing as James Yap’s reliever. In two games this season, he has been averaging in double figures.
10. DONBEL BELANO
Intially playing for Chowking in the PBL, he was the leader of the Davao Eagles starting season 2. He started out wearing jersey number 9 but after being the first Filipino in a pro league to register a QUADRUPLE DOUBLE he changed his jersey to 42. He went to the PBA via Sta. Lucia and he was traded to TNT via a swap with another MBA alumnus Gherome Ejercito. Right now he is Jimmy Alapag’s main reliever. Despite the entry of Mac Cardona and Renren Ritualo on the lineup, he’s a solid contributor for the Phone Pals.
9. CHRIS CALAGUIO
Picked fourth a year before the MBA disbandment by Shell, Hot Hands has been a phenomenal outside shooter. He led Letran and Chowking to championships before jumping ship to San Juan where he helped the Knights claim a title on the league’s second season. Though Tony dela Cruz ran the show and Ronald Tubid stealing away some of his spotlight, he was still a steady force for the Turbo Chargers. When the Shell Franchise bolted out of the PBA, he was sent to the slasher-packed San Miguel Beermen where he struggled getting his minutes. With Chot Reyes at the helm now, he is getting a rebirth in terms of points and minutes. In no time, he can claim his first PBA ring.
8. DORIAN PENA
Played briefly for the Negros Slashers, he was part of MBA’s Fil-Am influx led by Reavis, Hatfield, Matt Mitchell, Rob Wainwright, Chris Clay, Alex Crisano, and Jeffrey Flowers. Together with another Fil-Am find Dean Libayen, they formed that Fil-Am connection together with Ferriols, Huelar, the Dela Rosa brothers, and Johnedel Cardel. He resurfaced as a member of the SMB team and now the Big Dawg is prevailing in the league in terms of rebounds, defense, and hustle.
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