Spirits mode turns player creation into a poker game, and it is the fastest way to build an elite prospect. Which hands to chase, when to Double Up, and the point totals you need for a top rated player.
This post may contain affiliate links from places like Amazon and Green Man Gaming, and we may earn a small commission when you click these links. All earnings will go to keeping this website as minimally ad-free as possible.
Picking the right team in PBA Basketball Slam: Arcade Edition matters.
In a 2v2 setting, the star you build around matters just as much; because the right player can take over a game on their own.
With that in mind, here are the top players to target, ranked.
A quick, honest note on our method: PBA Basketball Slam does not print its hidden ratings, so:
Rosters also reflect the game's specific PBA season, so exactly who is in your version may vary.
Treat this as a strong starting point, then argue with us later once you have run your own games.
The Top 10 Players at a Glance:
| # | Player | Team | Why He Wins Games |
| 1 | June Mar Fajardo | San Miguel | Owns the glass, finishes everything. Rebounding is king here. |
| 2 | Jayson Castro | TNT | Blazing speed with no turbo needed to break defenses down. |
| 3 | Japeth Aguilar | Ginebra | Elite athleticism and rim finishing on offense. |
| 4 | Scottie Thompson | Ginebra | Does everything: rebounds, steals, hustle plays. |
| 5 | Paul Lee | Magnolia | Clutch shot maker, the outside scoring the game rewards. |
| 6 | Chris Newsome | Meralco | Athletic two way wing, slasher and pest. |
| 7 | Roger Pogoy | TNT | Scoring wing who pairs perfectly with Castro. |
| 8 | Jio Jalalon | Magnolia | Defensive gnat who jumps passing lanes for steals. |
| 9 | Marcio Lassiter | San Miguel | Floor spacing sniper next to Fajardo. |
| 10 | Beau Belga | Rain or Shine | Rebounding, toughness, and pure fan favorite energy. |
It is not close at the top.
Because rebounding decides so many games in PBA Slam, a franchise built around June Mar Fajardo starts with a built in advantage.
His size lets you own the offensive and defensive glass, clean up the misses the rim physics create, and finish through contact.
If you want the simplest path to winning, put the big man in the middle and let him eat.
With no actual turbo button in the game, natural speed is the most valuable trait a guard can have, and few hustle like Jayson Castro.
He blows past defenders, gets to the rim before help arrives, and sets the pace of the whole match.
He is the perfect engine for a fast, aggressive offense.
Aguilar is the athletic dream in a game built on high flying dunks.
He runs the floor, finishes lobs, and gives you a constant lob threat that punishes lazy defense.
Pair him with a shooter and you have a nightmare to guard.
Thompson is the glue guy who happens to be a star.
He rebounds like a big, hunts steals, and never stops moving, which fits this game's emphasis on the glass and on defense through steals perfectly.
He fills every stat line that matters here.
Because contested shots bounce out so often, a player who can actually knock down open looks is worth his weight in gold, and Paul Lee is one of the most reliable shot makers in the league.
Give him a sliver of space and he makes you pay.
Newsome is the ideal two way wing: athletic enough to finish above the rim, active enough to pester ball handlers and jump passing lanes.
He fits whatever your other star does, which makes him a safe, high ceiling pick.
Pogoy is the shooter and scorer who completes the classic arcade formula next to Jayson Castro: a speed demon to break the defense down and a marksman to punish it.
Run the two TNT guards together and you have one of the deadliest backcourts in the game.
Since it's very difficult to block dunks in PBA Slam and defense comes down to steals, a genuine pest is a real weapon, and that is Jalalon's whole game.
He jumps passing lanes, forces turnovers, and disrupts everything, turning defense into fast break offense.
Lassiter is the perfect running mate for Fajardo.
While June Mar dominates the paint, Lassiter stretches the floor and drains the open jumpers that come from all that attention inside.
Inside out basketball, arcade style.
Belga rounds out the list as a rebounding, bruising big with a cult following.
He will not out athlete anyone, but he controls the glass, sets the tone, and is genuinely fun to run.
A great pick for players who like winning the ugly way.
The best pairings follow one of two blueprints.
Option one is the big and the shooter: a dominant rebounder like Fajardo next to a sniper like Lassiter or Paul Lee, so you win the glass and punish from outside.
Option two is the speed and the scorer: a fast guard like Castro paired with a shooter like Pogoy, so you break defenses down and finish. Nail one of those combos and you are most of the way to a win.
For the full team by team breakdown, see our PBA Basketball Slam tier list.
Who is the best player in PBA Basketball Slam?
June Mar Fajardo. Because rebounding is so important in the game, his dominant size and finishing make him the single most valuable player to build around.
Who is the best guard in PBA Basketball Slam?
Jayson Castro. With no actual turbo button in the game, his natural speed is a huge edge for breaking down defenses and setting the pace.
What is the best two player combo?
Either a dominant big plus a shooter, like Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter, or a fast guard plus a scorer, like Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy.
Both cover the skills the game rewards.
Are the players' ratings official?
This ranking is based on real PBA star power and how each player's style fits the game, not the game's hidden stats.
Rosters also reflect a specific PBA season, so sanity check it against your own version and playstyle.
| These PBA Basketball Slam rankings go harder than a Filipina mom cheering at courtside. If you tap our Amazon affiliate link, I get a few extra pesos in the stat sheet, you still pay the same, and my hustle for updating this list stays at MVP level. |
Spirits mode turns player creation into a poker game, and it is the fastest way to build an elite prospect. Which hands to chase, when to Double Up, and the point totals you need for a top rated player.
A reader gifted me Planet of Lana, and I am glad they did. Our review of Wishfully's calm, gorgeous puzzle adventure: emotion over action, Studio Ghibli beauty, and why it earns a 4 out of 5.
Theropods says nothing and means everything. A wordless caveman adventure that tells its whole story through gesture, grunts, and gorgeous pixel art.
Step into Alpine Lake, where you’ll build your inn, explore vibrant landscapes, and enjoy a relaxing life-building experience filled with charm.
Scorn, the visceral biomechanical labyrinth, set to release in October 2022
Players are transported to feudal Japan during its turbulent times in a game that combines open world RPG, city building, life and survival elements.
Explore Scarlet Deer Inn, where embroidered charm meets dungeon peril. Enjoy the Slavic folklore in this unique indie platformer that'll keep you in stitches.
Chained Echoes, the long-awaited, pixel-perfect JRPG developed by Matthias Linda and published by Deck13 Spotlight, has finally received a release date!
