TOP 20 | UNLIKELY PBA ALL-STARS | 11 - 20

There’s a reason I don’t factor in All-Star appearances when I make my best-player lists. The PBA has a habit of tweaking its All-Star format—and not always for the better.

I get it, the All-Star Game is partly a popularity contest. That said, the league should at least implement a minimum statistical benchmark so the selections don’t end up looking questionable.

Yes, the NBA has had its share of surprising picks, too, but it hasn’t felt as glaring as what we’ve seen in the PBA. The Veterans vs. RSJ format was probably the most problematic. It made sense during certain waves—like when the Northern Consolidated core entered the league, when the Fil-Ams from the 1999 and 2000 seasons arrived, or even when the Smart-Gilas remnants joined.

But in other versions, it just didn’t hit the same.

The PBA also experimented with expanded 5-on-5 formats staged in different legs across the Philippines, supposedly to help the Gilas Pilipinas squad prepare for international competition. On paper, that sounds noble. In reality, it created another imbalance. The established stars suited up for their respective regional teams, while Gilas was left in the hands of unproven cadets and rookies—guys who were often third-tier players on their own PBA squads.

That’s why I actually applaud the 2026 All-Star participants. Even if a few deserving names were left out, the overall lineup representing the regions didn’t feel absurd or forced. At least this time, the selections made sense within the context of performance and visibility.

And to be fair, the PBA isn’t 100 percent at fault. Fans have voted players as starters even when those players weren’t actively suiting up or weren’t in ideal form. On top of that, some players have become notorious for skipping the festivities altogether, which forces the league to tap replacements at the last minute. Naturally, those replacements will grab the opportunity to share the floor with—and compete against—the league’s best.

Still, you can’t help but think about the players who never got the call in the first place. Some of them deserved to be invited from the get-go, rather than being overlooked while the musical chairs of withdrawals and replacements played out.

I don’t want to label anyone as the “worst” because that feels unnecessary and disrespectful. Still, you can’t help but wonder how players like Sean Anthony, Wynne Arboleda, Yancy de Ocampo, Nelbert Omolon, and Chris Tiu never made the list, while others were selected despite putting up what were essentially tenth-man averages.

So I built this list primarily on stats. However, I expanded the Top 10 to a Top 20 to better separate those who were fan-voted, coach-selected, or even named starters. I also made adjustments to account for the 2016 Gilas Pilipinas cadets, who participated because they were contractually obligated to do so.

ALSO CHECK OUT:

10 PLAYERS THAT SHOULD HAVE PLAYED IN A PBA ALL-STAR GAME https://www.project-sydrified.com/10-players-that-should-have-played-in-a-pba-all-star-game

I put this list together a couple of years ago, and from everyone included, only Cliff Hodge has actually gone on to see All-Star action. That alone already says a lot.

And I’ll say it again: how does a two-time Mythical Team member like Sean Anthony keep missing out on the event? It’s honestly baffling. We’re talking about a player who has consistently produced, defended at a high level, and impacted winning—yet somehow, that résumé hasn’t translated into an All-Star nod.

Game starts now!

20 | RONALD MAGTULIS | RSJ

2001 | BARANGAY GINEBRA SAN MIGUEL

SEASON STATS | 3.92PPG - 3.78RPG - 1.41APG - 51 GAMES

I have a confession. Aris Dionisio was supposed to be in this spot. That said, I replaced him with Ronald Magtulis because when I first put this list together, I had Magtulis in the Top 10. I was also flip-flopping on whether to include the 2017 All-Star players on this list.

If you saw Magtulis in the UAAP and the PBL, you would have thought he would have had a better pro career. I feel like his MBA stint hurt him because, unlike with the FEU Tamaraws and Chowking, he was not the focal point of the offense. It seems like that support mentality carried over to the PBA, and it did not help that he ran into Mark Caguioa’s rise to superstardom.

Chris Jackson, who won his third Defensive Player of the Year award, and Nic Belasco, who was selected to the Mythical Second Team, were among the notable snubs of that year’s All-Star Game.

19 | JUSTIN MELTON | NORTH ALL-STARS

2015 | PUREFOODS STAR HOTSHOTS

SEASON STATS | 4.44PPG - 2.93RPG - 1.49APG - 0.71SPG - 41 GAMES

I have to blame the fans for this pick because it’s not like Justin Melton could do much with this squad at this stage of his career. Not only was the grand slam core still running the show for the Hotshots, but the team had also acquired Alex Mallari. It’s not as if Quick Melt would magically outplay the prime version of Mark Barroca from a starting point guard standpoint.

What makes it worse is that Melton was voted as a starter. To put things in perspective, he started over Mythical First Team members Paul Lee, Jayson Castro, and Arwind Santos. At the same time, LA Tenorio was only named a replacement for the injured Mark Caguioa. Melton may have been a great energy guy for the Hotshots, but with just above four points per game, it's hard to justify his numbers as All-Star caliber.

18 | JC INTAL | NORTH ALL-STARS

2011 | BARANGAY GINEBRA KINGS

SEASON STATS | 5.59PPG - 2.86RPG - 0.98APG - 44 GAMES

What? One must think... am I insane?

Well, yes.

I really don't like to put JC Intal on this list because he was not supposed to be in the All-Star Game in the first place. This was more of a favor than Intal forcing himself into the game. Mark Caguioa was a last-minute scratch, and Intal just happened to be conveniently available since he was already there for the Slam Dunk Contest. Talk about being at the right place at the right time.

And it's not like it's easy for the league to fly a player to Aklan on such short notice.

Also, it is not as if Intal was some random bench guy. He was a Ginebra player with a loyal fan base from his UAAP days, so of course, he was an easy choice. If you are picking a replacement, Intal will naturally get the nod over 3-Point Shootout winner Mark Macapagal and Slam Dunk Contest runner-up Rey Guevarra. Star power wins.

Perhaps the fact that he missed 14 games that season contributed to my spreadsheet ranking him higher on this list. Still, Ronald Tubid was on the same Ginebra team and averaged in double digits. Sean Anthony was also in the Blitz Game, and considering he might be one of the highest-rated players to retire without ever making an All-Star team, either of them would have made more sense than The Rocket.

But here is another hot take on Intal. If there was ever a time to select him as an All-Star, it was during those four years with Barako Bull and Phoenix when he averaged at least nine points per game. If you were going to reward him at some point, that would have been the logical window.

17 | JOJO LIM | RSJ

1997 | SHELL TURBO CHARGERS

SEASON STATS | 4.6PPG - 2.86RPG - 0.9APG - 42 GAMES

I remember watching Jojo Lim in the PABL in the early 90s. I thought he was in the same mold as Felix and Aldrin “Albars” Barola. I also felt he stayed too long in the semi-pro ranks, and if I’m not mistaken, he was already on the wrong side of 25 when he finally entered the pros.

What I dislike about the Vets versus RSJ format is that the Veterans are composed of accomplished players, while the other side is a mix of future stars and seat fillers. With that in mind, I don’t think Jojo Lim’s numbers were All-Star worthy, especially considering that Jun Limpot, who averaged 20.3 points and was part of the Mythical Second Team, was snubbed from the festivities.

Again, I really hate the Vets versus RSJ PBA All-Star format.

16 | RR GARCIA | PBA MINDANAO ALL-STARS

2018 | TALK N TEXT TROPANG TEXTERS

SEASON STATS | 4.97PPG - 1.52RPG - 2.29APG - 31 GAMES

One could argue that RR Garcia should have been a top player in the PBA. He was part of Gilas Pilipinas before joining the league, and along with Terrence Ramos and Aldrech Ramos, he was a predecessor to the souped-up FEU core of that era.

But a journeyman career eventually takes its toll. After being drafted by GlobalPort, Garcia moved from Barako Bull to Star, then to San Miguel, and finally to TNT. His 2018 All-Star stint, his third and final, came during a season in which he posted the third-worst scoring average of his career. At that point, he was putting up career-worst numbers across the board, signaling the end of what was supposed to be a promising pro career.

One can only imagine how different his career might have been if he and Romeo had just been left alone to run wild in GlobalPort.

15 | CARLO LASTIMOSA | PBA MINDANAO ALL-STARS

2018 | COLUMBIAN DYIP

SEASON STATS | 6.05PPG - 1.32RPG - 1.79APG - 19 GAMES

A couple of seasons before this All-Star edition, Carlo Lastimosa was thriving in his role as a scorer for cellar-dwelling teams. The former Benilde Blazer made two All-Star lineups because of his performances with Blackwater and NLEX.

However, in the 2017-18 season, Lastimosa’s path to stardom hit a roadblock in the form of Yeng Guiao. He eventually fell out of NLEX’s rotation and played for the ABL’s Mono Vampire before rejoining the PBA with the Columbian Dyip, where he was named to his third All-Star Game. With his numbers down while playing for a mediocre team that he joined in the middle of the season, being named to the All-Star Game was surprising.

Chris Tiu, who was ironically named the Breakout Player of that season, retired after the year. Vic Manuel also had a breakout season with the Alaska Aces. Both players were snubbed in that season’s All-Star edition.

14 | JASON WEBB | PBA SELECTION

1998 | STA. LUCIA REALTORS

SEASON STATS | 3.36PPG - 2.16RPG - 2.82APG - 0.89SPG - 45 GAMES

My favorite PBL team of all time is the Stag Pale Pilseners. The difference between Jason Webb in the PBA compared to his days with DLSU and Stag was like night and day. In college, Webb played like a cross between Joseph Yeo and JC Intal, which is why it was frustrating to see him turn into a pass-first point guard who rarely looked to score.

What makes this inclusion even more puzzling is that it was his second straight All-Star appearance, even though his rookie numbers were actually better. Webb was also part of the PBA Selection that was composed of players who did not make the Centennial Dream Team. That lineup even included four imports. Among those left out of the All-Star Game were Rookie of the Year and Mythical Second Team member Danny Ildefonso, Mythical Second Team member Mike Mustre, and Defensive Player of the Year winner Chris Jackson.

13 | MIKE TOLOMIA | GILAS PILIPINAS - LUZON & MINDANAO LEG

2017 | RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS

SEASON STATS | 4.51PPG - 1.11RPG - 0.89APG - 37 GAMES

Mike Tolomia is one of the five FEU Tamaraws selected to the Gilas cadets program. He is also the brother of Chester Tolomia, a former PBL MVP who saw action with Ginebra and Sta. Lucia. Initially viewed as the combo guard who could replace Paul Lee in Rain or Shine, Tolomia struggled to make enough of an impact to secure the starting spot.

His arrival coincided with the acquisition of James Yap, as well as the development of Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano, Maverick Ahanmisi, and Chris Tiu. He then traded to Meralco for Ed Daquioag in the offseason. If there is one positive about his All-Star inclusion, it is that a Tolomia brother finally got to play in a PBA All-Star Game.

12 | CHRIS ELLIS | PBA VISAYAS ALL-STARS

2017 | BARANGAY GINEBRA SAN MIGUEL

SEASON STATS | 5.09PPG - 2.57RPG - 1.25APG - 44 GAMES

Chris Ellis built his reputation on jaw-dropping in-game dunks. During his time with NLEX in the PBA D-League, he showed flashes of being a reliable scorer—but that production never quite carried over to the PBA. I honestly thought he would break out as Ginebra’s starting small forward, especially with Tim Cone making the move from San Mig Coffee. Instead, his game plateaued and never fully reached the level many expected.

By 2017, Ellis had already made his third All-Star appearance, but ironically, that season also turned out to be his last in the league. His numbers had dipped to the point that he was averaging just a little over one quarter of playing time per game. Air Force Ellis was eventually traded to Blackwater, but he never got to suit up for the team.

11 | ED DAQUIOAG | GILAS PILIPINAS - LUZON LEG

2017 | MERALCO BOLTS

SEASON STATS | 5.25PPG - 1.78RPG - 1.06APG - 32 GAMES

This is the part of the list I am least comfortable with because the Gilas cadets were obligated to play in the All-Star Game due to the events that transpired in the 2016 PBA Draft. That was the issue with the 2017 and 2018 editions of the All-Star Game. While being part of the spectacle is a dream for these Gilas cadets, playing as a PBA All-Star is different from being an actual full-time PBA player.

Ed Daquioag had a tolerable rookie season with the Meralco Bolts. That said, his numbers were not as All-Star worthy as those of his Meralco teammate Cliff Hodge, who made the Mythical Second Team but was left out of all three All-Star legs.

TO BE CONTINUED