MANILA, Philippines — Nine-time league Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo is just five points away from reaching the 10,000 career points following San Miguel Beer’s lopsided 135-105 beating of Terrafirma in their PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Cebuano gentle giant finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds as he dominated the paint against the Dyip’s rookie big man Geo Chiu, who only had eight and two against the powerhouse Beermen.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo admitted he’s not even thinking of joining the elite club, but still thankful to eventually become part of it.
“I’m not chasing it (10,000-pointclub) but thankful that I’ll be included in the 10,000 points club. It’s one big honor to be a part of that,” he told media men.
SMB coach Leo Austria said he would have let him return into the game in the final quarter and the game, beyond recall, but the “Kraken”, but noted how the team’s star slotman declined, in order to give his other teammates a chance to play.
“I would have wanted to send him back in the fourth quarter because of that milestone,” shared Austria. “But he refused to do that because he wants his teammates to play and have a long playing time inside because he knows in the next game, he has a chance to get it and after that, there’s still the quarterfinals.” “That’s a good thing for a great player like him. He’s thinking of his teammates,” said Austria.
Fajardo, who will turn 38 in November, has a chance to become just the 18th local player to reach the 10,000-point club on October 21 when San Miguel battles NLEX at the close of the elimination round.
While joining the elite club is a matter of time, Fajardo is set to be the second active player to achieve it after TNT guard Jayson Castro who registered the milestone last May 13, 2026 in a game against NLEX at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
As per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, Fajardo will also become the just the fifth player for both local and import to reach the 10,000-point mark as a San Miguel player, following the footsteps of legendary reinforcement and later, grand slam PBA coach Norman Black, Abet Guidaben, Allan Caidic, and Nelson Asaytono.
