JOHNNY MAY EVENTUALLY PLAY FOR KINGS


JOHNNY Abarrientos, the smallest man ever to win the Most Valuable Player award, may find himself playing with the PBA’s most popular team. Ginebra San Miguel, a team desperately in search of a point guard, is reportedly interested in getting the cerebral 5-8, former MVP.

With premier quarterback Jay-Jay Helterbrand still recuperating from an injury and the 2006-2007 set to open in less than three weeks, signs of Abarrientos winding up with the Gin Kings are getting clearer. The Gin Kings will have to wait for the next five days to finally sign up the former Far Eastern University standout, who won 10 PBA championships with Alaska Milk and one with the Coca-Cola Tigers.

Coca-Cola, his former team, has already released Abarrientos, one of the 25 Greatest Players in the PBA, and the best place to go is just around the corner -• sister team Ginebra.

Alaska has also expressed interest in getting back Abarrientos, whose court exploits in 1996 catapulted his team to a rare Grandslam finish in 1996 • the same year he won the MVP award. Tim Cone, the long-time Alaska coach, said the situation involving Abarrientos favors Ginebra.

"We have signed up three guards on our team and if we get him, that will make him as the fourth guard and that’s not a fair deal for Johnny," Cone told People’s Tonight. "That’s not the appropriate way to treat a special guy who makes big things inside the court."

"Jong (Uichico) has told me he wants Johnny on the squad because at one point, it was Mark Caguioa who was quarterbacking for their squad. I think the best team for Johnny to play at least for this conference is Ginebra. Besides, our salary cap is too tight at this stage and Ginebra has reportedly given a much better offer in terms of playing time," he added.

Teams outside of San Miguel Corp. have yet to express interest in him and the Gin Kings, the biggest winner in several off-season trades, will land another quality player before the season starts on Oct.1.

So the reunion among Alaska’s big guns was stalled, but Cone believes that guys like Abarrientos, the biggest contributor to the team’s dominance the past decade, will always have a place in the team.

"What I remember most about Johnny is that he makes the big plays. You can see him pick up a rebound despite his size, completing a steal, making nifty passes and keeping a hold of the team. He is truly the most lovable person on the squad. His teammates love him and I like him, too, even off the court," said Cone.