The 2007–08 PBA season was the 33rd season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The season was formally opened on October 14, 2007, at the Araneta Coliseum. The league started the season with the Philippine Cup, or the traditional All-Filipino Conference, while capping off the season with the import-laiden Fiesta Conference.
Renauld "Sonny" Barrios was appointed as commissioner while serving as an officer in charge of the league until a replacement for former commissioner Noli Eala will be found.[1]
The first activity of the season was the 2007 PBA Draft last August 19 at the Market Market in Taguig.
On October 3, Magnolia Beverage Masters' Danny Seigle and Brgy. Ginebra's Billy Mamaril had an altercation during a pre-season tune-up game at the Greenmeadows Gym. OIC Commissioner Sonny Barrios fined Seigle P10,000.[4]
New rules were approved in order to make the league rules more consistent to FIBA's rules rather than the National Basketball Association (NBA):
The controlled handcheck foul will be implemented.
The three-point arc would now be reset to 20 feet and 6 inches (FIBA standard) from 22 feet.
The key would now be trapezoidal (FIBA) instead of rectangular (NBA).[5]
With a change in their team name, Magnolia unveiled their new logo and uniforms, using the blue and white motif. Alaska replaced their red uniforms with their black alternates first used in the 2007 Fiesta Conference finals, while Purefoods replaced their navy blue dark uniforms with their red alternates from the 2007 Fiesta Conference. Red Bull introduced a new slightly-modified logo and uniforms, and Sta. Lucia slightly modified their old uniforms, adding a diagonal stripe on the shoulders.
Red Bull Barako head coach Yeng Guiao was suspended for one game after verbally confronting league technical group chief Perry Martinez after their game against the Barangay Ginebra Kings.[6] Serving the suspension against the Welcoat Dragons, assistant Gee Abanilla became the head coach for the game, in which Red Bull won.[7]
On January 17, 2008, the PBA Board of Governors named officer-in-charge Sonny Barrios as the new commissioner up to the end of the season after a deadlock ensued between governors that supported Atty. Chito Salud and Lambert Ramos. Barrios has yet to accept his appointment.[13]
Red Bull Barako's Carlo Sharma and Jondan Salvador of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants were suspended for one game after figuring in a fistfight which led to their ejection from the game. Aside from the suspension, Sharma was fined P25,000 while Salvador was fined P20,000. Sharma served his suspension on game 1 of their quarterfinals series against the Magnolia Beverage Masters, in which Red Bull won; Salvador will serve his suspension in game 1 of their semifinals series against Red Bull, in which Purefoods won.
On January 24, Barrios accepted his appointment as commissioner.[14]
Air21 Express' Homer Se was fined P20,000 for a flagrant foul-penalty 1 on their game against the Sta. Lucia Realtors when he put up a fighting stance after the looseball scramble between Williams and Air21 guard Wynne Arboleda directed towards SLR rookie Ryan Reyes and import Jamar Brown.[19]
