SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – The decision on whether NLEX rookie Mike Ayonayon will be allowed to play for San Juan once the the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) resumes rests with the PBA, Yeng Guiao said on Wednesday.
Guiao believes league officials have the final say on the fate of Ayonayon, who found himself in a rather unique situation following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ayonayon still has a live contract with defending MPBL champion San Juan Knights and was actually given the go-signal by NLEX management to play out the remaining games of the home-and-away league before coming on board with the Road Warriors, who picked the 6-foot guard in the first round of last year’s rookie draft.
Unfortunately, the health crisis forced both the PBA and MPBL to suspend their respective operations.
And while the PBA had opened shop under a bubble set-up, it is still not clear yet when MPBL games will resume.
That’s where the conflict arose.
Guiao admitted that back in March, NLEX management gave Ayonayon permission to finish out the MPBL season, which was then in its final phase of the playoffs. Ayonayon and the Knights were set to tangle with Makati in the deciding Game 3 of the North Division finals for a place in the National title series.

But with Ayonayon now a regular part of Guiao’s rotation inside the bubble and the MPBL’s status still uncertain, Guiao said the decision no longer rests with the Road Warriors alone.
“Nag-iba na yung conditions. Hindi na yun yung dating conditions na nag-e-exist. So iba na yung decision parameters mo ngayon,” stressed the champion coach.
“No. 1, kami pa ba ang magde-decision nun or ang PBA na? Kasi pumasok na siya sa PBA, e. Kahit payagan namin siya, kung ayaw naman ng PBA, hindi rin mangyayari yun. So marami kaming hindi alam sa ngayon.”
The 27-year-old Ayonayon has so far played in all eight games of the Road Warriors, logging 19 minutes per outing.
He averages 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, but went scoreless in the Road Warriors’ 94-74 win over Rain or Shine on Wednesday, although he finished with seven assists.
Even the rookie guard is at a loss on whether he will still be allowed to play in the MPBL and help the Knights in their title retention bid.
“Hindi ko pa rin kasi alam kung kailan magre-start yung MPBL,” he said. “Ewan ko kung papayagan pa ako and makakalaro pa ako.”
But the ultimate decision, according to Guiao, rests with the PBA.
“It is not totally under our authority anymore. I guess we have to revert back to the PBA pag dating sa kasong ito,” said the NLEX coach.
In hindsight, Guiao posed a scenario wherein the PBA bubble ends in December and the MPBL games resume by January at a time when the pro league is in its off season.
“Kahit payagan namin siya, kung hindi naman siya papayagan ng PBA? Dahil nga nandito na siya (sa PBA), parang dalawa na yung pinaglalaruan niya. So yung ang magiging tanong,” added Guiao.
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