Following the disappointing display of basketball ever conducted by a collection of local, professional players, fans started to worry about the chances of Smart Gilas Pilipinas against the visiting Smart All Stars headlined by Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul and Kevin Durant.
Granted, the PBA selection, just like the rest of us, were probably seeing the NBAers for the first time and made the most of the opportunity by concentrating more on posing for cameras with their idols, asking for autographs and being all giddy fanboys rather than just playing competitive basketball. To say that they were starstruck would be an understatement, and not one player displayed any fire at all to compete at their highest level.