The 2023 PBA All-Star Weekend was the annual all-star weekend of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)'s 2022–23 season. This was the first PBA All-Star weekend since 2019 as the event has not been held since due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting the weekend was the All-Star Game between Team Japeth and Team Scottie.
Friday events
Obstacle Challenge This edition was exclusive for big men (power forwards and centers). +Contestants Pos. Player Team Height WeightC/F Christian Standhardinger Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 6–8 220F Ato Ular Blackwater Bossing 6–4 196C Justin Arana Converge FiberXers 6–7 231C James Laput Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots 6–10 245C Raymond Almazan Meralco Bolts 6–8 194C/F Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser NLEX Road Warriors 6–6 220C JM Calma NorthPort Batang Pier 6–6 193C Larry Muyang Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters 6–6 220C Beau Belga Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 6–6 235C/F Jeepy Faundo San Miguel Beermen 6–6 C Joseph Gabayni Terrafirma Dyip 6–5 C/F Dave Marcelo TNT Tropang Giga 6–5 223C June Mar Fajardo San Miguel Beermen 6–10 268 Notes Gold represent current champion.
June Mar Fajardo was unable to participate due to a knee injury. Jeepy Faundo was selected as June Mar Fajardo's replacement.
+Final round Pos. Player Team TimeC/F Dave Marcelo TNT Tropang Giga 25.38sC/F Christian Standhardinger Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 27.47sC Beau Belga Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 29.80s
Three-point Shootout +Contestants Pos. Player Team Height Weight First round Final round G Paul Lee Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots 6–0 200 22 28 G/F Marcio Lassiter San Miguel Beermen 6–2 185 28 21 G Juami Tiongson Terrafirma Dyip 5–10 175 26 18 F Arvin Tolentino NorthPort Batang Pier 6–5 210 21 G/F Roger Pogoy TNT Tropang Giga 6–2 180 21 G/F Jeremiah Gray Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 6–5 205 18 G Aaron Black Meralco Bolts 6–1 180 17 G Tyler TioPhoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters 6–0 170 17 G RK Ilagan Blackwater Bossing 5–7 150 16 G Kevin Alas NLEX Road Warriors 6–0 170 15 G Gian Mamuyac Rain or Shine Elasto Painters 6–2 165 15 G Jerrick BalanzaConverge FiberXers 6–1 190 11 G LA Tenorio Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 5–9 151 G Baser Amer Blackwater Bossing 6–0 170 Notes
LA Tenorio was unable to participate after undergoing surgery for a sports hernia. Jeremiah Gray was selected as LA Tenorio's replacement. Baser Amer was unable to participate for undisclosed reasons. RK Ilagan was selected as Baser Amer's replacement.
Slam Dunk Competition +Contestants Pos. Player Team Height Weight First round Final round F David MurrellConverge FiberXers 6–4 195 92 92 F Tyrus HillBlackwater Bossing 6–5 185 92 91 C/F Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser NLEX Road Warriors 6–6 220 89 C/F Chris LalataPhoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters 6–5 198 80 G Encho Serrano Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters 6–0 176 F Jamie Malonzo Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 6–6 210
Jamie Malonzo was unable to participate due to a shoulder injury. Encho Serrano was selected as Jamie Malonzo's replacement. However, Serrano was also unable to participate due to a sprained ankle.
Greats vs. Stalwarts The Greats vs. Stalwarts format of the Blitz Game returned for the first time since 2016. Both teams were only composed of rookies, sophomores, and junior (third year) players. The game also introduced a four-point line and a three-point dunk.
Draft +2023 Blitz Game DraftPickPlayerTeam1Brandon Ganuelas-RosserStalwarts2Justin AranaGreats3Calvin OftanaStalwarts4Ato UlarGreats5Joshua MunzonStalwarts6Aaron BlackGreats7Encho SerranoStalwarts8Allyn BulanadiGreats9Anton AsistioStalwarts10Jerrick AhanmisiGreats11Tyler TioStalwarts12Adrian WongGreats13Shaun IldefonsoStalwarts14Jerrick BalanzaGreats15Mike NietoStalwarts16RK IlaganGreats17Matt NietoStalwarts18Javi Gómez de LiañoGreats19Aris DionisioStalwarts20Isaac GoGreats
Lineups
+Stalwarts Pos Player Team R/S/JStarters G/F Joshua Munzon NorthPort Batang Pier Sophomore F Shaun Ildefonso Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Rookie C/FBrandon Ganuelas-Rosser NLEX Road Warriors Rookie G Tyler Tio Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters Rookie G Encho SerranoPhoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters RookieReserves G Anton Asistio Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Sophomore F Mike Nieto Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Sophomore G Matt Nieto NLEX Road Warriors Sophomore F Aris Dionisio Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots Junior F Calvin Oftana TNT Tropang Giga Sophomore G Andrei Caracut Rain or Shine Elasto Painters SophomoreHead coach: Caloy Garcia (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters)
+Greats Pos Player Team R/S/JStarters G/F Adrian Wong Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots Junior F Javi Gómez de Liaño Terrafirma Dyip Rookie C Justin Arana Converge FiberXers Rookie G Aaron Black Meralco Bolts Junior G Jerrick Ahanmisi Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots SophomoreReserves F Ato Ular Blackwater Bossing Rookie G Allyn Bulanadi San Miguel Beermen Sophomore G Jerrick Balanza Converge FiberXers Junior G RK Ilagan Blackwater Bossing Sophomore C/F Isaac Go Terrafirma Dyip Sophomore G Alec Stockton Converge FiberXers Sophomore G Kent Salado NorthPort Batang Pier JuniorHead coach: Richard del Rosario (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
Notes
Calvin Oftana was selected as a replacement to the All-Star Game and was subsequently removed from the Blitz Game. Andrei Caracut was selected as Calvin Oftana's replacement. Isaac Go was unable to play due to a knee injury. Alec Stockton was selected as Isaac Go's replacement. However, Stockton was also unable to play due to a fractured nose. Kent Salado was selected as Alec Stockton's replacement.
Game
Game MVP: Adrian Wong (Greats)
Sunday events
Shooting Stars The Shooting Stars returned for the first time since 2019 with a different format. There was one PBA courtside reporter, one government official, one sportswriter and a lucky fan. Team Red led by courtside reporter Apple David won the Shooting Stars.
All-Star Game The format of the all-star game was patterned after the NBA's version, wherein fans voted up to 24 players and two coaches. The two players with the highest number of votes became the team captains and selected their teammates via draft. The game also introduced a four-point line and a three-point dunk, similar to the earlier Blitz Game.
Rosters The voting started on January 25 and ended on February 15. The final results were announced on February 17, with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel teammates Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson emerging as the top vote-getters and thus are the two opposing captains during the All-Star Game.
+2023 PBA All-StarsPosPlayerTeamNo. of selectionsPlayersC/FJapeth AguilarBarangay Ginebra San Miguel8GScottie ThompsonBarangay Ginebra San Miguel5CJune Mar FajardoSan Miguel Beermen8FJamie MalonzoBarangay Ginebra San Miguel1C/FChristian StandhardingerBarangay Ginebra San Miguel1G/FJames YapRain or Shine Elasto Painters17GLA TenorioBarangay Ginebra San Miguel10FCalvin AbuevaMagnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots8GMark BarrocaMagnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots8GStanley PringleBarangay Ginebra San Miguel6G/FCJ PerezSan Miguel Beermen1GPaul LeeMagnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots9GJayson CastroTNT Tropang Giga8GGian MamuyacRain or Shine Elasto Painters1G/FJeremiah GrayBarangay Ginebra San Miguel1GTerrence RomeoSan Miguel Beermen6GRobert BolickNorthPort Batang Pier1G/FMarcio LassiterSan Miguel Beermen7FArvin TolentinoNorthPort Batang Pier1G/FRoger PogoyTNT Tropang Giga4GKevin AlasNLEX Road Warriors1GChris NewsomeMeralco Bolts1GJohn PintoBarangay Ginebra San Miguel1GMikey WilliamsTNT Tropang Giga1CoachesTim ConeBarangay Ginebra San Miguel9Yeng GuiaoRain or Shine Elasto Painters6 +All-Star reservePosPlayerTeamNo. of selectionsG/FGabe NorwoodRain or Shine Elasto Painters 11G/FJeff ChanNorthPort Batang Pier 7FCalvin OftanaTNT Tropang Giga 1GJio JalalonMagnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots 4 The 25th up to the 28th-ranked vote-getters are named as the all-star reserve. They will replace the top 24 players in case a player misses the game due to injury. They are not officially All-Stars unless they actually play the game.
Draft The PBA-All Star draft was held on February 20. A coin toss was first used to determine the head coaches for the teams, with Tim Cone going to Team Japeth and Yeng Guiao to Team Scottie. In another coin toss, Team Scottie won the flip and earned the right to draft first. +2023 All-Star DraftPickPlayerTeam1Christian StandhardingerScottie2June Mar FajardoJapeth3CJ PerezScottie4Jamie MalonzoJapeth5Calvin AbuevaScottie6Chris NewsomeJapeth7Robert BolickScottie8Roger PogoyJapeth9Arvin TolentinoScottie10LA TenorioJapeth11Kevin AlasScottie12Mikey WilliamsJapeth13Jayson CastroScottie14Paul LeeJapeth15Stanley PringleScottie16Jeremiah GrayJapeth17Marcio LassiterScottie18Gian MamuyacJapeth19Mark BarrocaScottie20John PintoJapeth21James YapScottie22Terrence RomeoJapeth
Lineups All of the reserve players, except Jeff Chan, eventually played during the game as replacements to injured All-Stars, namely team captain Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Terrence Romeo, and Mikey Williams. Jeff Chan, despite being in the reserve team, begged off from the game and was replaced by Alex Cabagnot. This was Cabagnot's eighth All-Star appearance.
June Mar Fajardo was unable to play the game due to injury and was replaced by Raymond Almazan. This was Almazan's third All-Star appearance.
Reserve Gabe Norwood was also unable to play the game due to injury and was replaced by Arwind Santos. This was Santos's twelfth All-Star appearance.
+Team Scottie Pos Player TeamStarters F Calvin Abueva Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots G/F James Yap Rain or Shine Elasto Painters C/F Christian Standhardinger Barangay Ginebra San Miguel G Scottie Thompson Barangay Ginebra San Miguel G Robert Bolick NorthPort Batang PierReserves G/F CJ Perez San Miguel Beermen F Arvin Tolentino NorthPort Batang Pier G Kevin Alas NLEX Road Warriors G Jayson Castro TNT Tropang Giga G Stanley Pringle Barangay Ginebra San Miguel G/F Marcio Lassiter San Miguel Beermen G Mark Barroca Magnolia Chicken Timplados HotshotsHead coach: Yeng Guiao (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters)
+Team Japeth Pos Player TeamStarters F Jamie Malonzo Barangay Ginebra San Miguel G/F Roger Pogoy TNT Tropang Giga C Raymond Almazan Meralco Bolts G Paul Lee Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots G Chris Newsome Meralco BoltsReserves F Calvin Oftana TNT Tropang Giga G Jio Jalalon Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots G/F Jeremiah Gray Barangay Ginebra San Miguel G Gian Mamuyac Rain or Shine Elasto Painters G John Pinto Barangay Ginebra San Miguel G Alex Cabagnot Terrafirma Dyip F Arwind Santos NorthPort Batang PierHead coach: Tim Cone (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
Game Prior to the game, Team Japeth won the traditional dance-off.
PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award: Paul Lee (Team Japeth)
Notes
References