The release of the names included in the next batch of the PBA’s Greatest Players has, understandably so, created such a stir that you can’t help but conclude that some people might have truly valid points.

Former MVPs who won their trophies starting 1999 banner the list of 15 new names that will join the first 25 that were named, and after those 10 came some surprising choices that have fans — a lot of them actually — up in arms.

James Yap, Willie Miller and Danny Ildefonso, winners of two MVP awards each, Kelly Williams, Jimmy Alapag, Mark Caguioa, Jay-Jay Helterbrand, Asi Taulava, Eric Menk and Arwind Santos are the 10 no-brainers.

After them, Chito Loyzaga, Marlou Aquino, Kerby Raymundo, Jason Castro and Marc Pingris were selected, leaving basketball lovers furious not necessarily because they were chosen, but because the likes of Abe King, Danny Seigle, Bong Hawkins, Arnie Tuadles, Jeffrey Cariaso, Olsen Racela, Dindo Pumaren and Nelson Asaytono were left out.

Tuadles, the poor, late Tuadles, was snubbed for the second time in the selection, never mind if he changed the way shooting guards played the game in the country.

As we said in a previous piece, the circumstances surrounding the death of Tuadles had a lot to do with why he was left out yet again, and I still, not to this day, cannot understand why what happened outside of the basketball court has anything to do with being denied the honor for what one has done on it.

Robert Jaworski and Freddie Webb, two PBA legends, led the group that selected the new members of the all-time Greatest Players list and it baffles me that such players were left out.

Asaytono finished a 17-year career as the fifth leading scorer in league history; King revolutionized the rebounding forward position and Seigle came into the country and became the barometer of Fil-American players after the great Ricky Brown.

I’m sure the selection committee has its reasons, but that group will not be able to reason with this basketball-crazed nation enough for the fans to accept how they chose this batch of players.

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Pingris and Castro are definitely all-time great materials, but the committee could have waited 10 years to name them to that list because, obviously, they are still in the prime of their careers and have a lot of miles left in them.

Pingris is undoubtedly one of the finest defensive players the league has ever had, but, like I said, he still has a lot of years left in him that he will surely be included when deliberations for the Top 50 Greatest are made. He and Castro would have been shoo-ins 10 years down the road. No matter what happens.

Aquino is probably the most questionable choice.

The 6-foot-9 beanpole, who was picked by Ginebra San Miguel first overall, is an underachiever in my mind.

With his size and considering that the league wasn’t littered with so many big men with his talent during his time, Aquino should have won an MVP trophy at least once if he realized his true potential.

Marlou played 15 seasons and finished his career with averages of 12 points, six rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.

Asaytono finished with averages of 17 points and 5.5 rebounds, was 11th all-time in rebounding, was a close second to Ato Agustin in the 1992 MVP race and practically spent his entire PBA career as a go-to-guy.

Heck, Dennis Espino, who was once Aquino’s twin tower buddy at Sta. Lucia, finished his 16-year career with averages of 13.2 points and 6.6 rebounds. He was named to the Mythical Team thrice and Asaytono was cited four times. Marlou earned inclusion just two times.

Raymundo played 12 seasons and normed 12.2 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists while earning Mythical Team inclusion just once, whereas Seigle, who was the 1999 Rookie of the Year, is on his 15th year and has averages of 16.1 points and 5.9 rebounds and membership to the Mythical Team three times.

I honestly believe that what is happening is unfair to all the players concerned, especially to those who were named, because their careers are now being dissected and compared to others.

There’s just such a big discrepancy as far as the new batch and the expectations of the fans are concerned. And the league will find it hard to live this one down.

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We also haven’t also mentioned the names of guards Al Solis and Gerry Esplana, who were also great. And have we mentioned Ranidel de Ocampo? The list just goes on.

But, obviously, the selection committee cannot please everyone.

Even the body that gives out the Nobel Peace prize is being criticized for the selections that it makes. The Oscar Awards earns flak almost every year for almost all of their winners.

It would be impossible to make everyone happy. That’s why being included in that selection committee is a thankless job and it would be better to be coming from the outside looking in to criticize in the end rather than be on the opposite end.

But, it would have been better if they covered all the bases, bases like we pointed out in this piece so as just to minimize questions later on.