2016–17 PBA season


The 2016–17 PBA season was the 42nd season of the Philippine Basketball Association. The league continues to use the three-conference format, starting with the Philippine Cup. The Commissioner's Cup and the Governors' Cup are the second and third conferences in the upcoming season.
The first event of the season was the 2016 PBA draft, held on October 30.

Executive board

Arenas

Like several Metro Manila-centric leagues, most games are held at arenas within Metro Manila, either the Smart Araneta Coliseum or the Mall of Asia Arena, and sometimes, in the Ynares Center in Antipolo. Games outside this area are called "out-of-town" games, and are usually played on Saturdays. Provincial arenas usually host one game, rarely two; these arenas typically host only once per season, but a league may return within a season if the turnout is satisfactory.
Typically, all playoff games are held in Metro Manila arenas, although playoff and finals games have been seldom played in the provinces.

Main arenas

ArenaCity
Cuneta AstrodomePasay
Filoil Flying V CentreSan Juan
Mall of Asia ArenaPasay
PhilSports ArenaPasig
Smart Araneta ColiseumQuezon City
Ynares CenterAntipolo

Out-of-town arenas

Highlighted are playoff games.
ArenaCityDateMatch-up
Xavier University GymCagayan de OroDecember 17, 2016San Miguel vs. NLEX
Philippine ArenaBocaue, BulacanDecember 25, 2016Mahindra vs. Blackwater
Barangay Ginebra vs. Star
Philippine ArenaBocaue, BulacanOctober 22, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco
Philippine ArenaBocaue, BulacanOctober 25, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco
Philippine ArenaBocaue, BulacanOctober 27, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco
Angeles University Foundation Sports ArenaAngeles CityJanuary 7, 2017NLEX vs. TNT
Angeles University Foundation Sports ArenaAngeles CitySeptember 2, 2017San Miguel vs. Alaska
University of San Agustin GymIloilo CityJanuary 14, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco
Hoops DomeLapu-Lapu CityJanuary 21, 2017GlobalPort vs. San Miguel
Hoops DomeLapu-Lapu CityAugust 26, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Alaska
Quezon Convention CenterLucenaFebruary 26, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. San Miguel
Quezon Convention CenterLucenaOctober 13, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Meralco
Mindanao Civic CenterTubod, Lanao del NorteMarch 25, 2017Star vs. GlobalPort
University of Southeastern Philippines GymDavao CityApril 1, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. Phoenix
Batangas City Sports CenterBatangas CityMay 6, 2017Rain or Shine vs. Star
Batangas City Sports CenterBatangas CityOctober 4, 2017TNT vs. Barangay Ginebra
Ibalong Centrum for RecreationLegazpi, AlbayMay 20, 2017TNT vs. Alaska
Alonte Sports ArenaBiñanMay 26, 2017Rain or Shine vs. GlobalPort
Barangay Ginebra vs. Blackwater
Alonte Sports ArenaBiñanOctober 1, 2017Star vs. Meralco
Calasiao Sports ComplexCalasiao, PangasinanAugust 5, 2017Barangay Ginebra vs. NLEX
Santa Rosa Sports ComplexSanta Rosa, LagunaSeptember 9, 2017Star vs. Meralco
Santa Rosa Sports ComplexSanta Rosa, LagunaOctober 3, 2017Star vs. Meralco

Transactions

Retirement

  • September 10, 2016: Michael Burtscher officially announced his retirement after playing 5 seasons in the PBA.
  • November 3, 2016: Jimmy Alapag officially announced his retirement after playing 13 seasons in the PBA.
  • November 18, 2016: Yousef Taha officially announced that he left the country back to his hometown Kuwait, thereby ending his PBA career. Taha, though not officially retiring, said that he left for personal reasons and "he felt that it is best for him to not continue his PBA career". Taha played for five different teams in his 4 seasons in the league. However, he returned to the country to play again a year later.
  • November 19, 2016: Nelbert Omolon officially announced his retirement after playing 12 seasons in the PBA to focus on his agribusiness career.
  • November 27, 2016: Eddie Laure officially announced his retirement after playing 12 seasons in the PBA to focus on new role as coach for UST.
  • December 15, 2016: Rob Reyes officially announced his retirement after playing 8 seasons in the PBA.
  • May 7, 2017: Eric Menk officially announced his retirement after playing 16 seasons in the PBA.
  • September 2, 2017: Mick Pennisi officially announced his retirement after playing 17 seasons in the PBA.

Coaching changes

Offseason

Philippine Cup

Notable events

Pre-season

  • The Mahindra Enforcer silently changed their name to Mahindra Floodbuster. The team's new logo debuted during the league's annual draft.
  • November 14 – The PBA officially launched its own smartphone application named "PBA: The App" which is currently available on Google Play and Apple App Store. The app featured news articles, scores, schedules, stats of the games and profiles of the teams and players.

Philippine Cup

Commissioner's Cup

Governors' Cup

  • The Mahindra Floodbuster changed their name to Kia Picanto. The team's new logo and uniforms debuted at the opening day of the Governors' Cup on July 19.
  • August 26 – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel wore their throwback 2001 Barangay Ginebra Kings jerseys in honor of the team who won PBA championships from 2004 to 2008.
  • October 22 – Game 5 of the Governors' Cup finals between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco held at the Philippine Arena set the all-time PBA finals attendance record of 36,445, breaking the previous record of 23,436 fans during Game 3 of the 2013 Commissioner's Cup between Alaska and Barangay Ginebra.
  • October 25 – 53,642 fans attended game 6 of the Governors' Cup finals at the Philippine Arena. This record broke the finals attendance record as well as the all-time overall attendance record of 52,612, set during the opening of 2014–15 season on October 19, 2014.
  • October 27 – Game 7 of the Governors' Cup finals broke the records set on October 22 and 25 as 54,086 fans watched the series clinching game between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco.

Opening ceremonies

The opening ceremonies for this season was held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on November 20, 2016. The first game of the Philippine Cup between the Star Hotshots and the San Miguel Beermen immediately followed.
The muses for the participating teams are as follows:
TeamMuse
Alaska AcesCiara Bachmann
Barangay Ginebra San MiguelKim Domingo
Blackwater EliteDaiana Menezes and Janelle Olafson
GlobalPort Batang PierValeen Montenegro
Mahindra FloodbusterSophie Rankin
Meralco BoltsMaxine Medina
NLEX Road WarriorsMargo Midwinter
Phoenix Fuel MastersSofia Andres and Elisse Joson
Rain or Shine Elasto PaintersJustine Mae San Jose
San Miguel BeermenYassi Pressman
Star HotshotsKylie Verzosa
TNT KaTropaAngelica Alita

Individual awards

Leo Awards

Awards given by the PBA Press Corps

Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Ross Scoring Champion: Terrence Romeo Baby Dalupan Coach of the Year: Leo Austria Mr. Quality Minutes: Jio Jalalon Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the Year: Kelly Williams Danny Floro Executive of the Year: Ramon S. Ang Order of Merit: LA Tenorio