With the recent media day of the 50th season of the PBA, commissioner Willie Marcial mentioned that the acquisition of the NorthPort franchise could finally push through by Monday, and that the team will be known as Pureblends.
It's a move anticipated by a lot and is a fresh breath of air for the league in general.
There's no sugarcoating that NorthPort has long been part of the laughing stock of the PBA, with their questionable decisions of trading players that have hindered the team's progress to achieve some hardware.
Now, with this pending decision by the PBA, it's worth revisiting the long and messy history of NorthPort.
Over the years, the franchise became known less for building a team that could contend and more for being a stopover -- where players saw their primes wasted, careers cut short, or simply passed through on the way to brighter destinations.
This list does not include both Arvin Tolentino and Greg Slaughter, who have left the team but are still under the rights of the franchise.
1. Stanley Pringle (2014-19)
Pringle was NorthPort's brightest star during his five-year stay, showing why he was considered one of the best guards of his generation. He was a constant offensive threat with his speed, shooting, and shot creation, even delivering a memorable 50-point outburst while wearing a GlobalPort jersey back in 2018 against the Columbian Dyip -- a feat that remains one of the most iconic in franchise history.
However, NorthPort's inability to surround him with enough talent wasted much of his prime. Despite being a Rookie of the Year and a multiple-time All-Star, Pringle never had the chance to lead the team into true contention. An eventual trade to Barangay Ginebra marked the end of NorthPort's era with Pringle, once again cementing the franchise's reputation as a place where stars never seemed to fully flourish.
2. Christian Standhardinger (2019)
Standhardinger's arrival in 2019 gave NorthPort one of its most successful playoff runs, as he powered them to a first-ever semifinal appearance by ousting NLEX Road Warriors despite their twice-to-beat advantage. He was relentless on both ends, averaging 19.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game en route to winning the Best Player of the Conference award in the Governors' Cup. This rugged style of play fit perfectly with NorthPort's underdog mentality, instantly making him the franchise's anchor.
But Standhardinger's impact was fleeting, as he only stayed with the team for two conferences before being traded to Barangay Ginebra. His short-lived stint underscored how NorthPort repeatedly failed to hold on to key players long enough to establish continuity.
3. Robert Bolick (2018-2022)
After losing Stanley Pringle and Terrence Romeo, NorthPort pinned their hopes on Robert Bolick, the third overall pick of the 2018 draft. Bolick quickly showed his worth as a confident scorer and playmaker, someone who could carry the offensive load even in big games. The former San Beda Lion had his best scoring performance with NorthPort back in the 2021-22 Governors' Cup with numbers of 21.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 8.8 assists.
Yet the franchise repeated its familiar mistakes by failing to build a strong supporting cast around him. Much of Bolick's early years were wasted on undermanned rosters, forcing him to carry far too much responsibility without the proper help. He went on to play overseas with the Japan B.League Division 2 in 2023, but went back and got traded to NLEX.
4. Terrence Romeo (2013-2018)
Before NorthPort officially became NorthPort, Romeo was the "Golden Boy" of the then-GlobalPort Batang Pier. The electric scoring made him the franchise's most marketable star, dazzling fans with highlight plays and fearless shot-making. Alongside Stanley Pringle, Romeo formed one of the league's most exciting backcourts, keeping GlobalPort relevant in an era dominated by powerhouse franchises.
Romeo's time was also individually decorated, as he won back-to-back scoring titles in 2016 (25.4 points) and 2017 (23.4 points), and also became a staple of the Gilas Pilipinas' program from 2016 to 2018. These accolades solidified his reputation as one of the league's premier offensive forces, yet the team never managed to transform his scoring brilliance into team success. When he was eventually traded to TNT, it became another missed opportunity for the franchise to turn a star into a long-term contender.
5. Zav Lucero (2024)
Lucero's lone year with NorthPort was enough to show that he could have been a legitimate franchise building block. As a rookie, he put up 12.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.2 stocks (steals + blocks) per game, displaying versatility, athleticism, and defensive instincts that made him one of the most promising young forwards in the league. Even in a disappointing team campaign, Lucero stood out as a piece worth keeping for the future.
But in true NorthPort fashion, the franchise traded him after just one season to Magnolia, where he has since blossomed into arguably the best young player in the PBA. The rise he achieved with another team became a painful reminder of NorthPort's failure to identify and keep talent that could anchor a winning program. Lucero's departure was not just another move -- it was a symbol of the franchise's inability to break away from its cycle of missed opportunities.