PBA All-Star call-ups reshape PBA rookies, juniors showdowns

What was once shaping up as a showcase of the PBA’s next wave has been significantly reworked, as All-Star selections forced multiple lineup changes across the league’s midseason exhibition games.

Several young standouts initially slated to headline the Rookies/Sophomores vs. Juniors side event will now shift their attention to the main PBA All-Star Game, scheduled on March 8 in Candon, Ilocos Sur, following league rules that prioritize All-Star participation in the marquee contest.

Among those affected are RJ Abarrientos of Barangay Ginebra and Juan Gomez de Liano of Converge, both of whom received strong fan support that vaulted them into starting roles for the All-Star North and South squads. Their elevation, however, meant stepping away from the developmental exhibition where they were originally expected to lead the Rookies/Sophomores team.

Abarrientos will suit up for the Solid South, joining Scottie Thompson, Robert Bolick, Calvin Oftana, and June Mar Fajardo under coach Chot Reyes. On the other side, Gomez de Liano will represent the Solid North alongside Japeth Aguilar, Calvin Abueva, Stephen Holt, and CJ Perez, with coach Leo Austria at the helm.

The ripple effects of the All-Star rule extended beyond the two guards.

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Converge has the most number of players who were named as PBA All-Stars with five:

Juan Gómez de Liaño
Justine Baltazar
Justin Arana
Calvin Abueva
Alec Stockton

Ginebra and San Miguel follow with four total players each. pic.twitter.com/NwFR0d2ksx

— PBA insider (@PBAinsider) February 9, 2026

Also removed from the Rookies/Sophomores and Juniors matchups were Stephen Holt, Justine Baltazar, Adrian Nocum, CJ Cansino, Caelan Tiongson, and Zavier Lucero. With the exception of Holt, the five were named All-Star reserves following selections made by the league’s 12 head coaches.

Prior to the reshuffle, Baltazar, Cansino, and Tiongson had been voted by fans into the Rookies/Sophomores lineup, while Nocum, Holt, and Lucero were penciled in for the Juniors squad. Their promotion to the All-Star pool effectively removed several of the side event’s biggest attractions.

While fans will miss seeing some of the league’s most exciting young talents clash in the developmental showcase, the changes underscore a different storyline — one that highlights how quickly this new generation is being ushered onto the league’s biggest stage.

Instead of headlining side events, many of the PBA’s rising names will now share the floor with established stars, turning the All-Star weekend into a reflection not just of popularity, but of the league’s rapidly evolving hierarchy.

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