The award winners seem too close to call.
The much-awaited Leo Awards, where the PBA’s best of the best are feted for their excellence, will finally be held on Sunday just before the Magnolia Hotshots and TNT Tropang Giga open Season 48 with what is expected to be a slam-bang season-opener.
This year’s Leo Awards is expected to be just as exciting as the main attraction as it promises to be full of intrigue—if not controversy—given how tight the races are for practically most of the major awards to be handed out.
And most intriguing of all is arguably the hotly contested MVP race, which three of the PBA’s brightest stars—reigning MVP Scottie Thompson, six-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, and Christian Standhardinger—are expected to contest.
Incidentally, each has a strong case for the league’s highest individual plum, although Fajardo, with his 42.2 statistical points (SP) appears to have the inside track over Thompson (35.5) and Standhardinger (33.6). Cjay Perez, with his 36.1 SPs, might even make the MVP race a four-man contest.
The Most Improved Player (MIP) award figures to be just as intriguing, with newly minted Ginebra San Miguel guard Maverick Ahanmisi a strong candidate, along with fellow ka-barangay Jamie Malonzo and former Ginebra gunner Arvin Tolentino. Even NLEX Road Warrior Don Trollano is a candidate here.
The Rookie of the Year award is expected to be tightly contested as well, as each of Renato Ular, Justin Arana, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Tyler Tio, and Gian Mamuyac made a strong case as last season’s top newcomer.
Sunday’s Leo Awards will also fete the Mythical First and Second Teams and the All-Defensive Team. It will also hand out the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award, fittingly named after one of the league’s premier gentlemen.
The Leo Awards will kick off at 4 p.m., and you can catch it live on A2Z, PBA Rush on Cignal, and the Pilipinas Live App.