MANILA — The PBA has finally completed its 50 Greatest Players list ahead of its 50th anniversary on April 9 and Season 50 in October.

Asia’s first-ever pay-for-play league unveiled the 10 additional to its previous 40-man list on Wednesday in Mandaluyong, with legends Nelson Asaytono, Jeff Cariaso, Bong Hawkins, Abe King, Danny Seigle, Arnie Tuadles, Manny Victorino, and Yoyoy Villamin cementing their names, and present stars June Mar Fajardo and Scottie Thompson completing the roster.

Fans, however, have clamored for other names whom they deemed just as worthy of being included in the elite names that also feature the likes of ‘El Presidente’ Ramon Fernandez, ‘The Big J’ Robert Jaworski, Alvin Patrimonio, and Ronnie Magsanoc.

Cases have been made for the likes of Olsen Racela, LA Tenorio, Marcio Lassiter, and Ranidel de Ocampo, and none other than "The Point Laureate" is confident that they will be the next ones to eventually enter the list.

“There will be another selection committee most probably, but these are players that I believe na hindi a matter of if, but a matter of when,” Magsanoc, a member of the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players when it was released in 2000, told ABS-CBN News.

“Ngayon kasi, konti lang kasi talaga, and I know that it was hard for the part of the selection group,” he added.

San Miguel Beer legend Olsen Racela. File photo/PBA Images.Racela, for his part, was a nine-time PBA Champion, and was the main floor general of the San Miguel Beermen for all but four seasons in his 18-year career.

The 5-foot-10, Ateneo de Manila University’s No.17 jersey is even retired by SMB -- a select list that also includes the likes of Mon Fernandez, Allan Caidic, Hector Calma, Yves Dignadice, and Arwind Santos.

Another Blue Eagle in Tenorio was vouched for by fans.
Barangay Ginebra star guard LA Tenorio. Photo from PBA Images.The 5-foot-9, PBA ‘Iron Man’ has both led the Alaska Aces and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to championship glory, with Tenorio winning a Finals MVP award four times (2010 with Alaska, 2016, 2017, and 2020 with Ginebra.)

As the Gin Kings’ lead guard, he not only helped the franchise end an eight-year title drought but also led them in winning seven titles from the late 2010s to the early 2020s.

Lassiter, meanwhile, stands tall as the PBA’s All-Time three-point king.

San Miguel Beer sniper Marcio Lassiter. Photo from PBA Images.The 6-foot-2, San Miguel sniper, also a Mythical First Team member in 2018, has over 1,254 makes from beyond the arc in his career.

He is also a proven winner, to say the least, as the aforementioned feat is on top of his 10 championships in the PBA which he all won with SMB.

Finally, RDO made a name for himself as a bruising big while also having a sweet-shooting touch.

Former TNT star Ranidel de Ocampo. Photo from PBA Images.The 6-foot-6 De Ocampo not only brought grit and toughness to Air21 and eventually to the Talk ‘N Text franchise. His accuracy from both mid-range and three-point land helped TNT win six championships, with RDO even winning Finals MVP plums in the 2012-13 Philippine Cup and 2015 Commissioner’s Cup.

De Ocampo also has a Best Player of the Conference award among his other achievements in the league, and his prowess allowed him to currently serve as an assistant coach for TNT.

The number of accolades that Racela, Tenorio, Lassiter, and De Ocampo are more than enough to eventually solidify their places on the PBA’s Greatest Players list, said Magsanoc; it is just now a matter of right timing.