After June Mar Fajardo officially captured his precedent-smashing eighth PBA Most Valuable Player award for Season 48 on Sunday, the question on whether the San Miguel Beer star is now considered the “greatest of all time” in Asia’s first play-for-pay pro league resurfaced once again.
You see, Fajardo’s latest MVP award already doubled the achievements registered by PBA legends Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio, who for years, set the “gold standard” during their respective professional careers.
Fernandez and Patrimonio each won four MVP awards during their illustrious PBA careers.
But for the 34-year-old Fajardo, just being part of the “GOAT” conversation is already an honor by itself. Yet, he holds Fernandez with high regard given the legendary big man’s 19 PBA championships in a 20-year PBA career.
“I’m happy to be part of that (GOAT conversation) but I think I’m still far from reaching it because there are so many players from that past who deserve to be called the ‘GOAT’ of the PBA,” Fajardo told sportswriters in Filipino, following Sunday’s Leo Awards held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Papa Mon (Fernandez) alone has won 19 championships, but me, I only won 10, so I’m still far from that,” he added.
The pride of Pinamungahan, Cebu said personally, to be considered the “GOAT” of the PBA, requires winning championships, not merely individual awards.
“For me, if you already won many championships, that’s when you can be called the ‘GOAT’. But I’m happy with what I’ve achieved but again, Papa Mon and sir Alvin, they are different, they are the barometer of the MVP. I have high respect for them because they set the standard in the PBA,” he explained. “And us (next generation PBA players), we just follow their lead.”
With eight PBA MVPs and possibly more, barring any major injuries or sickness, Fajardo could continue to rewrite history considering he’s still at the top of his game at this stage of his career.
In fact, the long-time SMB star center’s stats line from Season 48 remains solid as evident by his per-game averages of 17.8 points, a league-best 13.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks per contest.
While he’s set to turn 35 this November, Fajardo said he has always maintained a mindset every start of the season or conference that he hasn’t accomplished anything.
“Again, I’m happy to win this MVP award, but I don’t really set a goal to get the MVP. I’m just thankful to God for this award, and thankful to my teammates and coaches and to the media for the votes,” he shared.
“Every conference I just go hard. That’s my mindset, to try to win my first championship every start of the conference or every start of the season, I just simply want to win championships,” he added.
Fajardo, who currently serves as one of the senior members of the Gilas Pilipinas side, also holds the PBA record of 10 Best Player trophies, has been a nine-time member of the Mythical First team, nine All-Star appearances and named to the All-Defensive team seven times.
