June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson lead All-Star balloting

June Mar Fajardo is the top vote-getter so far for the PBA All-Star Game. Dennis Acosta (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASIG—June Mar Fajardo and Scottie Thompson have early inside tracks on becoming the skippers for the 2023 PBA All-Star Game following the partial and official count of votes in the All-Star balloting.

The San Miguel center is currently the top vote-getter as of Wednesday with 37,915 votes, while the Ginebra guard is a close second with 37,759.

This year's All-Star Game, the first in four years, will now have the top two players in the All-Star balloting, being the captains, forming their teams through a draft where they will choose from the other 22 top vote-getters just like how it's being done in the NBA.

Gin King Japeth Aguilar could also be in line to be one of the two team captains for the March 12 showdown in Passi as he is third in the All-Star balloting update with 37,322 votes.

Aguilar's fans can still help the high-flying power forward become a team captain in the All-Star Game as the balloting will run until Feb. 15 through the PBA website or casting their votes personally in the PBA arenas.

The other players in the Top 24 are Ginebra's Jamie Malonzo, Christian Standhardinger, LA Tenorio, Stanley Pringle, and Jeremiah Gray, Magnolia's Calvin Abueva, Paul Lee, and Mark Barroca, San Miguel's CJ Perez, Terrence Romeo, and Marcio Lassiter, Rain Or Shine's James Yap and Gabe Norwood, TNT's Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy, Mikey Williams, and Calvin Oftana, Meralco's Chris Newsome, NorthPort's Arvin Tolentino, and NLEX's Kevin Alas.

On the other hand, Gin King Tim Cone and Elasto Painter Yeng Guiao are on the track to becoming the All-Star head coaches this year.

Cone is the runaway leader in the coaching race with 51,707, while Guiao is second with 22,705.

The All-Star captains will also get to choose who they want to coach their respective teams in the traditionally mid-season classic.

In a separate balloting update, Malonzo and Gray are the top vote-getters for the Rookie-Sophomore-Junior Game.

Malonzo is number one with 41,933, while Gray is second with 35,248.

The other top vote-getters for the RSJ Game are Oftana, Tolentino, Williams, ROS's Shaun Ildefonso, Gian Mamuyac, Anton Asistio, and Mike Nieto, Phoenix's Tyler Tio and Encho Serrano, Meralco's Aaron Black, Converge's Justine Arana and Jerrick Balanza, Magnolia's Jerrick Ahanmisi, Blackwater's RK Ilagan, NLEX's Brandon Rosser and Matt Nieto, Terrafirma's Isaac Go, and NorthPort's Joshua Munzon.

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