1999 PBA season

Updated on Dec 07, 2024

Edit

Comment

Top draft pick Sonny Alvarado All-Filipino Cup champions Formula Shell Commissioner's Cup champions San Miguel Beermen Number of teams 9		Picked by Tanduay Rhum Masters Runners-up Tanduay Rhum Masters Start date 1999 Season MVP Benjie Paras
Duration February 7, 1999 – December 12, 1999 TV partner PBA on Vintage Sports (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation) Similar 1998 PBA season, 2000 PBA season, 2001 PBA season, 1994 PBA season, 2003 PBA season

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.

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.