Manny Victorino wants to see this current star big in next PBA Greatest Players expansion

After getting inducted into the PBA Greatest Players list, Manny Victorino wants to see Japeth Aguilar in the next batch of new members. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Manny Victorino lauded the panel formed for the selection of the newest members of the PBA Greatest Players list for the solid choices they made.

Victorino, who starred in the PBA during the 1980s and 1990s and was one of the top big men in the MBA during its early years, was among the 10 additions to the PBA Greatest Players list.

The six-foot-six center personally attended the induction ceremony at Solaire North in Quezon City.

"Ang maganda doon, yung mga pumili, talagang sinala nilang mabuti, and I'm happy kay [Nelson] Asaytono. Maraming players ang deserving dyan," Victorino told Dugout Philippines.

Victorino had a short stint playing alongside Asaytono, arguably the headliner of the "Next 10", with Sunkist in 1996 before the latter was traded to San Miguel.

Only two players, June Mar Fajardo and Scottie Thompson, won the season MVP awards during the last 10 years and got the automatic Greatest Players inclusions due to the longstanding "MVP rule", opening the doors for eight non-MVPs to get in, and Asaytono, who many thought was the most highly-touted snub in the 2015 expansion, finally made the list along with Victorino, Jeffrey Cariaso, Bong Hawkins, Abe King, Danny Seigle, Arnie Tuadles, and Yoyoy Villamin.

Former PBA commissioner and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios led the jury with PBA Greatest Players members Allan Caidic, Atoy Co, and Mon Fernandez joining the selection committee along with legendary head coach Danny Silverio alongside some sports reporters who have been covering the league for a long time already.

Now that Players 41-50 have already been named, Victorino said that he is already excited about the next expansion.

One player he is looking forward to make it eventually is Bong Alvarez, one of the PBA's high-flying and high-scoring guards during the 1990s.

However, another player he wants to make it as well is current Ginebra big man Japeth Aguilar.

Victorino implied that he is fine with including players still active in the league.

"Maganda yung ginawa nila na pinasok yung mga naglalaro pa para ganahan yung mga tao," Victorino further said.

In a report by Spin.PH columnist Ding Marcelo chronicling how the selection was made, the jury prioritized choosing the newest members from the superstars during the PBA's first 20 seasons, opting not to select another active star aside from MVPs Fajardo and Thompson, although they too took note of how stellar Cariaso and Seigle were during the turn of the millennium.

However, Aguilar, one of the PBA's top rim rattlers and rim protectors right now, would make a solid case for a Greatest Players inclusion down the road.

The Ginebra star won a Finals MVP, two All-Star Game MVPs, five Mythical Team citations, and three All-Defensive Team citations so far in his 15-year career.

After calling it a career following the 1999 MBA season playing for the Surigao Miners, Victorino put up a business that ran for five years before deciding to migrate in the United States.

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