Recovering Greg Slaughter to sit out PBA All-Star Game

MANILA, Philippines – Greg Slaughter, voted as part of the All-Star starters, will not be playing in the 2016 PBA All-Star Game, he announced on his Twitter account on Sunday, July 24.

The 7-foot Barangay Ginebra center tweeted how he was “extremely grateful and honored to have been chosen as a starter” in the All-Star Game but said he is “still in the process of recovering from my surgery and I won’t be able to play.”

Extremely grateful and honored to have been chosen as a starter in the upcoming PBA all star game. Unfortunately, Im still in the process of

— Greg Slaughter (@GWillSlaughter) July 24, 2016

recovering from my surgery so I wont be able to play. Good luck to my teammates and thank you for the opportunity! #2016PBAAllStarGame #NSD

— Greg Slaughter (@GWillSlaughter) July 24, 2016

Slaughter had surgery in his ankle due to ligament issues during the break between PBA conferences. The top draft pick of 2013 was forced to withdraw from the Gilas Pilipinas pool in May due to the surgery. He has missed Ginebra’s first two games thus far in what is to be a 4-month layoff reportedly stretching to September.

Slaughter was supposed to be part of the South team together with fellow big man and collegiate rival June Mar Fajardo (San Miguel Beer) as well as James Yap (Star), and fellow Barangay Ginebra teammates Scottie Thompson and Joe Devance.

No replacement for Slaughter has been announced as of posting.

The South team will be coached by this season’s Philippine Cup champion coach Leo Austria.

(READ: Guiao’s message to All-Star players: ‘Have your fun but you always want to win’)

Meanwhile, the North team will be headed by Commissioner’s Cup champion coach Yeng Guiao with his starters consisting of Mark Caguioa (Barangay Ginebra), Terrence Romeo (Globalport), Calvin Abueva (Alaska), Marc Pingris (Star), and Japeth Aguilar (Barangay Ginebra).

The PBA All-Star Weekend will take place from August 4 to 7 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with the All-Star Game happening on August 7. Last year, the All-Star Weekend took place in Puerto Princesa, Palawan. – Rappler.com