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| TV5/AKTV Photo |
Everything was magical during the two-day NBA Manila Smart Ultimate All-Star Games last weekend. The Filipino hoop fans were treated to non-stop action by the visiting American superstars, which defeated the PBA Selection, 131-105 and walloped the Smart Gilas national team, 98-89, before jampacked crowds at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) Sports Foundation made it all happened and fans around the country will forever be grateful for this once in a lifetime event. The MVP Sports Foundation even went out of the way to have the two games covered live on local TV. There was no holding back the nine-man NBA All-Stars from performing top-class acts highlighted by countless alley-oops, incredible passes and out-of-this world slams that was never before witnessed live by local fans in the country. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls and Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets were said to be paid at least $400,000 each for the two-game extravaganza, according to Sports Illustrated. But surely, any Filipino fan would say its worth the price.
“Star-studded exhibition games like the two taking place in the Philippines this weekend are proving to be quite profitable as well, with one source with knowledge of the deals saying the Lakers' Kobe Bryant, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant and Chicago's Derrick Rose are being paid more than $400,000 apiece for their weekend of work (reminder: tax-free). Worthwhile ventures like these are a less-explosive strategy on the labor front, though there is -- as reported by Yahoo! Sports on Saturday -- an impatient contingent of agents who is pushing for a more aggressive approach that involves the decertification of the union and subsequent antitrust lawsuits.”
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