1999 PBA season

1999 PBA season
1999 PBA season
Duration	February 7, 1999 – December 12, 1999
Number of teams	9
TV partner(s)	VTV (IBC)
Draft
Top draft pick	Sonny Alvarado
Picked by	Tanduay Rhum Masters
Conferences
All-Filipino Cup champions	Formula Shell
Runners-up	Tanduay Rhum Masters
Commissioner's Cup champions	San Miguel Beermen
Runners-up	Formula Shell
Governors Cup champions	San Miguel Beermen
Runners-up	Alaska Milkmen
Awards
Season MVP	Benjie Paras
Seasons
< 1998 2000  >

The 1999 PBA season was the 25th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Season highlights

• A new era began with the entry of Fil-foreign cagers such as Asi Taulava and Eric Menk, during the opening ceremonies, the PBA honored basketball greats in their respective era as the all-time first five, nominated in each decade from 1950s-1990s were Caloy Loyzaga, Narciso Bernardo, Robert Jaworski, Hector Calma and Alvin Patrimonio, surprisingly absent from the list was Ramon Fernandez, who was then the MBA Commissioner.
• The Opening highlights of the season went head to head against the MBA involving the network war, the MBA backed by ABS-CBN used its roster of stars for their opening, while the PBA sought the alliance of GMA Network to celebrate their tradition of making the league's opening ceremonies with a big bang.
• The PBA transferred from the Cuneta Astrodome to the PhilSports Arena as their main playing venue.
• The league changes their playdates from Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays to Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Friday games were still held exclusively at the Araneta Coliseum while the Sunday games are played at the PhilSports Arena.
• The Tanduay Rhum Masters returned to the PBA after a 12-year absence.
• During the off-season, the league allowed each team to have a direct-hire Filipino-Foreigner recruit as their answer to the increasing popularity of rival basketball league, the Metropolitan Basketball Association.^[1]
• Formula Shell became the 10th team to win the All-Filipino crown, and won their first back-to-back championships, the underdog Shell team led by Benjie Paras, Victor Pablo and Gerry Esplana, defied the odds by beating the stronger Tanduay ballclub, composed of powerhouse rookies Sonny Alvarado, Mark Telan, Chris Cantonjos and Eric Menk.
• The San Miguel Beermen, under new coach Jong Uichico, ended a five-year title-drought and won the final two conferences of the season to tie the legendary Crispa Redmanizers for the most championships with 13.

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Team	Muse
Alaska Milkmen
Barangay Ginebra Kings	Ruffa Gutierrez
Formula Shell Zoom Masters	Francine Prieto
Pop Cola 800s	Cris Villonco
Mobiline Phone Pals
Purefoods TJ Hotdogs
San Miguel Beermen	Aileen Damiles
Sta. Lucia Realtors
Tanduay Gold Masters	Ara Mina

Champions

• All-Filipino Cup: Formula Shell Zoom Masters
• Commissioner's Cup: San Miguel Beermen
• Governor's Cup: San Miguel Beermen
• Team with best win-loss percentage: San Miguel Beermen (35-20, .636)
• Best Team of the Year: San Miguel Beermen (5th)

Individual awards

• Most Valuable Player: Benjie Paras (Shell)
• Rookie of the Year: Danny Seigle (San Miguel)
• Sportsmanship Award: Rey Evangelista (Purefoods)
• Most Improved Player: Elmer Lago (Ginebra)
• Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Jackson (Formula Shell)
• Mythical Five
  • Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
  • Jeffrey Cariaso (Mobiline)
  • Sonny Alvarado (Tanduay)
  • Benjie Paras (Shell)
  • Danny Seigle (San Miguel)
• Mythical Second Team
  • Olsen Racela (San Miguel)
  • Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel)
  • Eric Menk (Tanduay)
  • Jojo Lastimosa (Alaska)
  • Kenneth Duremdes (Alaska)
• All Defensive Team
  • Chris Jackson (Shell)
  • Freddie Abuda (San Miguel)
  • Johnny Abarrientos (Alaska)
  • Dindo Pumaren (Purefoods)
  • Eric Menk (Tanduay)

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

• Coach of the Year: Perry Ronquillo (Shell)
• Mr. Quality Minutes: Rodney Santos (Alaska)
• Executive of the Year: Jun Bernardino (PBA commissioner)
• Comeback Player of the Year: Benjie Paras (Shell)
• Referee of the Year: Ernie de Leon

Cumulative standings

Team	GP	W	L	PCT
San Miguel Beermen	55	35	20	.636
Alaska Milkmen	56	32	24	.571
Shell Velocity	56	32	24	.571
Tanduay Rhum Masters	50	28	22	.560
Mobiline Phone Pals	37	18	19	.487
Sta. Lucia Realtors	42	18	24	.429
Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs	51	20	31	.392
Barangay Ginebra Kings	42	15	27	.358
Pop Cola 800s	33	8	25	.242

References

1. Tighter PBA rules on imported cagers, Philippine Headline News Online