SAN Miguel Beer star center June Mar Fajardo said it is fitting for the PBA to name the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) award after Filipino basketball legend Ramon Fernandez.
The Cebuano slot man recognized that Fernandez, known for his moniker “El Presidente” during his playing years, is the barometer among all the PBA players due to the impact he made to Philippine basketball.
“He’s the gauge among all the players. And he’s the one we all look up to. He deserves [that recognition], no doubt about it,” Fajardo said in Filipino, during the PBA Philippine Cup Finals press conference on Monday at the Novotel Manila.
Fernandez, who won 19 league championships in a storied 20-year PBA career, was best remembered for training Fajardo the rudiments of the game back in the day when the San Miguel slot man was still starting to learn the game of basketball.
The 36-year-old Fajardo has since blossomed into an immovable force, entering the PBA as the top rookie draft pick of Petron (now San Miguel) in 2012, and has since won 11 league titles, along with a precedent-smashing records of nine league MVP trophies and 12 Best Player of the Conference (BPC) awards.
Fajardo’s dominance in the league eventually erased Fernandez’s four MVP awards won, which was then a PBA record he shared with Alvin Patrimonio, after winning his fifth MVP award in 2018.
In the ongoing Philippine Cup where San Miguel is facing TNT in the Finals, Fajardo is a cinch as well to win a 13th BPC award, while barring any injuries, the Kraken is expected to be a prime candidate for the Finals MVP, as well.
Nonetheless, the Pinamungahan, Cebu native said his eyes are as always set on leading San Miguel to a 31st league championship.
“We want to get the championship. Come what may, our goal is to win championships,” he added.
