Best Player of the Conference, not MVP, to be given in PBA 'bubble' season

MANILA, Philippines — A special season calls for special individual awards in the PBA.

Instead of its usual year-end awards highlighted by the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year awards, it will be a little different in the league's 45th season.

List of awards to be given in the special #PBABubble Season:

Best Player of the Conference (not MVP)
Outstanding Rookie (not ROY)
Most Improved Player
Sportsmanship Award
Special Team (Mythical Team).@PhilippineStar @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews

— John Bryan Ulanday (@bryanulanday) December 3, 2020

Having only staged a single conference in a more compact schedule in the "bubble" in Clark City, Pampanga, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial announced on Thursday the list of awards to be given out at the end of the conference.

First is the Best Player of the Conference, which takes the place of the MVP award, since the league was only able to hold the Philippine Cup in a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) stricken year.

Meanwhile, the Rookie of the Year plum will be replaced by an Outstanding Rookie award.

Another change that the league will make is on the Mythical Team citiations that will be converted into a "Special Team".

A Most Improved Player and Sportsmanship Award will wrap up the individual awards for the unique season.

The PBA also announced its target date for the opening of its 46th season on April 9 while the annual Rookie Draft is tentatively set in March next year.

JUST IN: The PBA targets April 9 opening for the 46th PBA Season after a meeting among the PBA Board of Governors and Commissioner Willie Marcial.

The Annual Rookie Draft is tentatively set in March. @PhilippineStar @StarSportsHub @PhilstarNews

— John Bryan Ulanday (@bryanulanday) December 3, 2020