Crowded backcourt in Mythical 5 race

There’s a likely scenario that at least one worthy candidate could miss out on a spot in the Mythical Five selection of the PBA Philippine Cup bubble.

That’s because eligible voters are expected to have a difficult time choosing two backcourt players in the Mythical Five which will be given during the virtual PBA Awards Night on Jan. 17.

Two guards and three frontcourt players will compose the Mythical Five under PBA rules.

TNT’s Ray Parks Jr., who topped the Statistical Points race, and teammate RR Pogoy, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Stanley Pringle and Phoenix Super LPG’s Matthew Wright are among the favorites to make Mythical Five.

That should make the voters, namely the players, media and the PBA Commissioner’s Office, face the difficult decision of having to leave out someone who is deserving of getting such recognition.

Read: Parks, Pringle lead tight battle for bubble’s best player award

All four are also in the running for the Best Player of the Conference award along with Terrafirma’s CJ Perez, who was also nominated to the Mythical Five.

Other guards in the list of nominees are Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, Magnolia’s Paul Lee, Meralco’s Chris Newsome, TNT’s Jayson Castro and NLEX’s Kiefer Ravena and Kevin Alas.

Players, media and the PBA Commissioner’s Office, all eligible to vote, have until Monday to submit their choices.

Frontcourt players nominated are BPC candidate Calvin Abueva and Jason Perkins of Phoenix, Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar, TNT’s Poy Erram, Alaska’s Vic Manuel, Magnolia’s Ian Sangalang, San Miguel Beer’s Mo Tautuaa and Arwind Santos and NorthPort’s Christian Standhardinger.

Abueva and Aguilar have strong chances of getting the nod, given their strong individual showing and their respective teams' performance inside the bubble.

Read: Abueva nominated for PBA Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award

Also to be given during the virtual festivities are the Outstanding Rookie, Most Improved Player and the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award.