June Mar Fajardo already thinking about potential repercussions of PBA All-Star Draft

June Mar Fajardo is already concerned about how the new PBA All-Star Draft might affect his friendship with his fellow All-Stars. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASIG—Barring a surge of votes for the other vote-getters, June Mar Fajardo is on track of becoming a team captain for the 2023 PBA All-Star Game on March 12 in Passi.

Fajardo is currently number one in the All-Star balloting as of Wednesday, and right now, he is already ecstatic about returning to the usual mid-season classic that would be played late into the Governors' Cup eliminations.

"Masayang-masaya ako na makasali uli ako sa All-Stars," Fajardo said at the PhilSports Arena here, hours after it was announced that he is currently topping the votes.

Starting this year, the PBA will adopt an All-Star team formation method similar to that of the NBA, in which the top two vote-getters will become the skippers for the two competing squads and will draft the rest of their rosters from the other 22 All-Stars.

However, as early as now, Fajardo is already seeing the potential concerns that could come with the PBA All-Star Draft.

For him, some of the players that he might not draft into his team might take the "snub" seriously.

"Kung pipili ako, baka magtampo yung iba," Fajardo further said.

He also believes that the coaches should be the ones who would draft their players for the All-Star showcase and not the captains.

"Dapat yung coaches na lang yung pipili ng mga players," Fajardo further said.

However, he clarified that he finds the new plot twist to the All-Star Game an "exciting" one.

In fact, he is now thinking about bringing along his San Miguel teammates to his All-Star squad.

"Syempre gusto ko nang kunin mga teammates ko," Fajardo said when asked who he would want to pick early into the All-Star Draft.

For now, though, he is not thinking about the draft at the moment.

"Saka ko na lang yan iisipin," Fajardo further said.

He has a point after all since the All-Star balloting will still run until Feb. 15, which could also mean Scottie Thompson and even Ginebra teammate Japeth Aguilar can catch up and take the number one spot away from him.

Thompson is number two as of Wednesday, which means he could also be an All-Star captain as it stands, while Aguilar closely follows both Thompson and Fajardo at number three with only a few hundred votes separating them.

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