MAJORITY of Petro Gazz players, led by three-time PVL MVP Brooke Van Sickle, MJ Phillips, and Myla Pablo are bound to join Nxled for the 2026 season.
What SPIN.ph learned, however, was that they did not necessarily explore free agency in the traditional sense.
An official from a team that isn't Petro Gazz or Nxled and sister squad Akari, who requested anonymity, revealed that they were unable to even begin talks with the Angels’ free agents, as it was believed the Chameleons already had them locked up well before news of Petro Gazz' leave of absence surfaced.
READ: BVS, Phillips now free agents as Petro Gazz goes on LOA
Van Sickle, in particular, was said to have signed with Nxled before the end of last year.
This meant that even if she became a free agent on paper, the 26-year-old outside hitter never truly had the opportunity to test the market, regardless of whether Nxled would have ultimately been her top choice.
Other teams also expressed frustration over not being given the chance to formally present their offers to their desired Angels, having learned of their leave of absence at the same time as the rest of the league.
The Chameleons, on the other hand, was said to have been a step ahead, having been in talks with Petro Gazz months earlier.
SPIN.ph has reached out to Nxled management for comment, but is yet to get a response as of press time.
Petro Gazz' present ties with Nxled
Further underscoring this account was the final remark in Petro Gazz official statement confirming its leave of absence.
“During this period, Petro Gazz will focus on nurturing the next generation of volleyball talent. As part of this initiative, Petro Gazz supports the volleyball program of Nxled and other PVL teams by recommending its players, coaches, and staff guided by its winning culture and core values,” the statement released Sunday read.
READ: This is how Nxled can still get Petro Gazz players - since merger a no-go
Nxled being singled out in the statement, particularly alongside the phrase ‘recommending its players, coaches, and staff,’ appears to align with how Van Sickle and Co.'s final destination is now playing out.
The final number of ex-Angels-turned-Chameleons is expected to be known in the coming days, ahead of the 2026 All-Filipino Conference, which opens on January 31.
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