2001 PBA season

Updated on Nov 19, 2023

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All-Filipino Cup champions San Miguel Beermen Start date 2001 Top draft pick Willie Miller		Governors Cup champions Sta. Lucia Realtors Number of teams 10 Season MVP Danny Ildefonso

Duration January 28, 2001 – December 16, 2001 Picked by Batang Red Bull Thunder Commissioner's Cup champions Batang Red Bull Thunder TV partner PBA on Viva TV (Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation) Similar 2000 PBA season, 2003 PBA season, 1998 PBA season, 1996 PBA season, 2008–09 PBA season

The 2001 PBA season was the 27th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Notable occurrences

During the pre-season, Tanduay made soundwaves in the PBA when they dangled Danny Ildefonso of corporate rival San Miguel Beermen a whopping 16-year, 96 million peso offersheet. The league though, nullified the said deal since it was believed that the offersheet violated the team's salary cap.

There were three different champions in the season as San Miguel Beer figured in all three championships while Batang Red Bull and Sta.Lucia won their first-ever title.

Danny Ildefonso of San Miguel became the third player to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for two straight seasons, Ildefonso also sets a record by sweeping the season's best player of the conference award, his unprecedented feat started in 2000 when he emerged as the award winner in the Commissioner's Cup and Governor's Cup, his BPC wins surpassed the three apiece won by Vergel Meneses and Alvin Patrimonio.

Purefoods' Alvin Patrimonio became the first player to suit up for 500 straight games while Alaska import Sean Chambers hung up his number 20 jersey after 13 years in a highly emotional retirement ceremony.

The corporate sale of Purefoods, including its PBA franchise, to San Miguel Corporation at the end of the year, was eventually approved by the Board of Governors, the Hotdogs became the third team under the San Miguel corporate umbrella.

Paul Asi Taulava and Eric Menk, two fil-foreign players, returned to their respective ballclubs, Taulava reunited with the Phone Pals around mid-year while Menk suited up for Tanduay a little later.

In a stunning move in late December, Tanduay shipped Eric Menk, Dondon Hontiveros, Bonel Balingit and Chris Cantonjos to other teams as a prelude to Tanduay's subsequent sale of its franchise to FedEx, the delivery firm, for P 75 million.

Opening ceremonies

The muses for the participating teams are as follows:

Champions

All-Filipino Cup: San Miguel Beermen

Commissioner's Cup: Batang Red Bull Thunder

Governor's Cup: Sta. Lucia Realtors

Team with best win-loss percentage: San Miguel Beermen (43-27, .614)

Best Team of the Year: San Miguel Beermen (7th)

Individual awards

Most Valuable Player: Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel)

Rookie of the Year: Mark Caguioa (Barangay Ginebra)

Sportsmanship Award: Rey Evangelista (Purefoods)

Most Improved Player: Noy Castillo (Purefoods)

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Jackson (Shell)

Mythical Five

Danny Ildefonso (San Miguel)

Danny Seigle (San Miguel)

Olsen Racela (San Miguel)

Dennis Espino (Sta. Lucia)

Ali Peek (Alaska)

Mythical Second Team

Noy Castillo (Purefoods)

Kenneth Duremdes (Alaska)

Nic Belasco (San Miguel)

Rudy Hatfield (Pop Cola)

Davonn Harp (Red Bull)

All Defensive Team

Chris Jackson (Shell)

Dennis Espino (Sta. Lucia)

Marlou Aquino (Sta. Lucia)

Rey Evangelista (Purefoods)

Patrick Fran (Mobiline/Talk 'N Text)

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

Coach of the Year: Yeng Guiao (Red Bull)

Mr. Quality Minutes: Mark Caguioa (Barangay Ginebra)

Executive of the Year: Sonny Barios (PBA executive director)

Referee of the Year: Ernie de Leon

References

2001 PBA season Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA