THE PBA All-Star weekend won’t be having its traditional slam dunk contest, but will offer a new side event in the Skills Challenge on March 23 in Bacolod City.
A three-point shootout featuring the big men of the league will be held to replace the dunk contest, a regular staple in the mid-season classic since 1992.
But the Obstacle Challenge and the three-point shootout among the guards are still to be played, with Dave Marcelo and Paul Lee coming back to defend their respective titles.
Among the bigs seeing action in the long distance shootout are Jason Perkins (Phoenix), Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (TNT), Aris Dionisio (Magnolia), Sean Anthony (NLEX), JM Calma (Northport), Mo Tautuaa (San Miguel), Isaac Go (Terrafirma), Keith Zaldivar (Converge), and rookies Ralph Cu (Barangay Ginebra), Christian David (Blackwater), Brandon Bates (Meralco), and Keith Datu (Rain or Shine).
Meanwhile, crowding out Lee in his bid for a back-to-back are Maverick Ahanmisi (Rain or Shine), Alex Stockton (Converge), Chris Newsome (Meralco,), Robbie Herndon (NLEX), Arvin Tolentino (Northport), Tyler Tio (Phoenix), Andrei Caracut (Rain or Shine), Marcio Lassiter (san Miguel), Javi Gomez de Liano (Terrafirma), Calvin Oftana (TNT), and James Yap (Blackwater).
Outside of Lee, Yap is the only other champion of the event, which he won twice in 2009 and 2018, respectively.
Marcelo will get stiff challenge in the Obstacle Challenge from Christian Standhardinger (Barangay Ginebra), Justin Arana (Converge), James Laput (Magnolia), Calma (Northport), Perkins (Phoenix), Tautuaa (San Miguel), Go (Terrafirma), Ganuelas-Rosser (TNT), and freshmen Clifford Jopia, Brandon Bates, and Keith Datu.