WILL third time be a charm for Nelson Asaytono?

As the PBA formally names the additions to its 50 Greatest Players list, suspense builds up on whether one of the most athletically-gifted figures ever to suit up in Asia’s oldest professional league would finally be accorded the honor most basketball fans felt he truly deserved.

The name of the now 58-year-old Asaytono again rings a bell as among those favored to lead this new batch of players who will be included in the PBA’s all-time Greatest’ list when the league makes the announcement in a press conference on Wednesday.

A projected first-ballot selection when the PBA initially named its original 25 choices in 2000, the player who goes by the moniker ‘The Bull’ surprisingly didn’t make the grade.

But even more mind-boggling was the second snub he received when 15 other names were added to the list when the PBA celebrated its 40th year a decade ago.

Obviously, this is Asaytono’s last shot at joining the elite group that included former teammates and rivals during his playing tenure from 1989 to 2006.

The league will formally announce the 10 additional players who were deliberated and decided by a panel of 10 members consisting of former players, coaches, league executives, and members of the media at the Cignal Customer Experience Center.

Former commissioner Renauld ‘Sonny’ Barrios chaired the panel that also included legends Ramon Fernandez, Atoy Co, and Allan Caidic, champion coach Dante Silverio, and sports editors Ding Marcelo, Al S. Mendoza, and Nelson Beltran, along with broadcast panel Andy Jao and Quinito Henson.

PHOTO: PBA Media Bureau

Asaytono, the bull-strong power forward from Oriental Mindoro, was a seven-time champion, a two-time Best Player of the Conference winner, a three-time Mythical First Team member, a four-time Mythical Second Team, a one-time scoring champion, and a 10-time All-Star.

Thrice, he was a strong contender for the MVP plum, but each time he ended up falling short of winning the league’s highest individual award.

Asaytono is also ranked no. 5 in the league’s all-time scoring record with a total of 12,668. Ironically, he’s the only player in the Top 10 that is not a member of the Greatest list.

His case is the same fate that also awaits previous snubs such as old timers and former Toyota teammates Abe King and the late Arnie Tuadles, high-flying forward Danny Seigle, and efficient big man Bong Hawkins.

Two current players though, are already a cinch to make it in eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel and 2021 MVP Scottie Thompson of Barangay Ginebra.

Fajardo and Thompson had been seeded to the list based on previous criteria that automatically assures MVP winners of their place in the Greatest’ selection.

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