By all indications, this PBA Commissioner's Cup is heading to an exciting finish for playoff spots.

And it's largely because of the ensemble of imports this conference had assembled to not only thrill fans but also make the playing field as competitive and unpredictable as possible.

Topping the A-list of reinforcements is Bol Bol, the South Sudanese-American player who is famously the son of Manute Bol. The TNT import, who stands 7-foot-3, was drafted 44th overall in 2019 by the Miami Heat before he was traded to the Denver Nuggets.

Getting headlines before he could ever set foot on the PBA floor, Bol was just as good as advertised — a crafty big man with handles like a guard and scoring like an unstoppable beast. Quintessentially the poster boy of imports in this class of foreign recruits, Bol has averaged 38.13 points and 14.88 rebounds, numbers so overwhelming that they should translate to Tropa's immense success.

But the standings say otherwise.

TNT currently sits tied with Phoenix at fourth with five wins and three losses, and by bad fortune Bol's debut was spoiled by a 112-109 loss to Rain or Shine.

Head coach Chot Reyes phrased it perfectly: Tropa have over-relied on their import with the locals becoming merely spectators on the court. Old reliables Rey Nambatac (7.25 ppg), RR Pogoy (7 ppg), and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (8.75 ppg) have seen a drastic drop to their usual scoring outputs, with the team only having Calvin Oftana as its best contributor with 12.63 points per game.

If only Bol could share his thoughts with the media and give a piece of wisdom with their so-so performance, the public would praise him more as a gentleman of the game than a freak of nature. Yet, the towering figure remains a shadow, or rather a ghost, that disappears from the dugout after a night of tremendous work.

While TNT tries to solve the puzzle and make a push for the top 4 spots that guarantee a twice-to-beat advantage, Rain or Shine enjoys its lofty status that was only tainted by a recent loss to Phoenix.

Owners of a seven-game win streak which was derailed last Tuesday by an 87-83 loss to the Fuel Masters, the Elasto Painters were smashing opponents with their run-and-gun style.

Perfectly fitting to the system is Jaylen Johnson, a workhouse whose extensive background in globetrotting duties made him adaptable to any conditions, no less than adjusting to the needs of fiery mentor Yeng Guiao.

The system also did not revolve on the import, with local aces in Adrian Nocum, Gian Mamuyac, and Felix Lemetti all chipping in double figures.

Also worth mentioning is NLEX's Cady Lalanne, who has lifted his team to the No. 2 spot with a 6-2 record, and Meralco's 7-foot import Marvin Jones, whose versatility has helped the Bolts share the third spot at 5-2 with the Gin Kings.

Of course, Barangay Ginebra, still has Justin Brownlee, widely regarded as one of the best reinforcements the league has ever seen. Now at 37 years old, the naturalized Filipino remains a threat after averaging 32.57 points in seven games.

Bennie Boatwright, a Gilas candidate for naturalization, is still a scoring machine in his San Miguel return. Interestingly, the Beermen have struggled early on, with their 4-5 record pushing them in the lower half of the standings despite already pressing two import changes.

Though these imports massively shape the trajectories of these clubs with their talent and grit, basketball isn't a one-man army.

It's only intriguing to see how they fare when stakes are higher and the demands grow bigger.

While athleticism is paramount in this business, resilience and character hold more value.

After all, basketball is a team game.

(Ramon Rafael Bonilla is the editor of Manila Bulletin's Sports section.)