Witnessing the Greatness of June Mar Fajardo

We knew that this day would come. The day when the three-decade-old record of most MVP trophies – held by Alvin Patrimonio and Ramon Fernandez – would be broken. What we didn’t know is that the one who would break it would do it in just six years after he entered the league. He has been such a force in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) right now that we are so sure, barring any major injuries, that he definitely won’t stop at five. Ramon “El Presidente” Fernandez said it himself.

June Mar Fajardo, the 6’10” San Miguel Beerman, won his fifth consecutive Most Valuable Player award last Sunday, January 13. Despite missing several games in the Governors’ Cup last season due to a shin injury, Fajardo still managed to snag the top individual award. Of course, winning the Best Player of the Conference trophies for both Philippine and Commissioner’s Cups certainly helped. He edged out second-placer Stanley Pringle of NorthPort who accumulated 2,041 points that were composed of stats and votes from fellow PBA players, the media, and the league. June Mar had a total of 2,436 points. The other MVP candidates were Paul Lee and Japeth Aguilar.

Humble Beginnings

“First of all, I want to thank God for all the blessings. Who would have thought that someone who was once a laughingstock will become a five-time MVP?” said Fajardo last Sunday while accepting his fifth MVP award.

June Mar has indeed come a long way since his days playing in Cebu. He admitted that growing up, he was kind of awkward and always felt out of place especially in high school. Standing over six feet upon entering Bato National High School also ensured that he would literally and figuratively stand out anywhere he went.

Just like any Filipino into basketball, June Mar’s first experience playing the sport competitively was through barangay hoops. He wasn’t even sure back then if basketball was really his thing. Up until his sophomore year in college, the thought of entering the country’s premier basketball league did not cross his mind. Only when his coach at the time, Roel Gomez, talked to him that he realized the possibility of him playing in the PBA.

A few years later, June Mar has accomplished a lot playing for the University of Cebu Webmasters. In his school’s collegiate league, the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc. (CESAFI), he was able to establish his dominance. He won a championship and was also named the league’s MVP.

His studies were never neglected, as he earned a hotel and restaurant management degree along the way. “I came from a poor family. That’s why my parents have instilled in me the value of hard work. Hard work in studying, hard work in basketball,” he said in Filipino.

Before he knew it, there was nothing left for June Mar to do in Cebu. He had to go to Manila to try his luck. Armed with his height, skills, and determination to succeed, he was able to take his game to another level. His brief stint in the Asean Basketball League gave him the experience that he needed to prepare him for the PBA.

First Few Years in the PBA

In the 2012 PBA Draft, June Mar Fajardo was selected as the number one overall pick by the Petron Blaze Boosters. The hype around him at the time was unbelievable. Some basketball experts even dubbed him as the Future of Philippine Basketball. That kind of enormous pressure can easily crush any young promising talent, and even June Mar wasn’t immune to that. The first two conferences of his first season, he struggled to find his groove. Like any other rookie coming into the pros, it took a while before he got accustomed to the speed and physicality of the game. Staying aggressive was also an area he needed to work on. Luckily, being a part of Gilas Pilipinas, he was able to learn from teammates Beau Belga and Marc Pingris.

In the third conference, June Mar started to show his true potential. Against Rain or Shine’s veteran big men Beau Belga and J.R. Quiñahan, he scored a career 26 points, and eventually led his team to the next round, winning a best of five series, 3-1. In the Finals, he outplayed every big man who was tasked to keep him in check. San Mig Coffee Mixers’ Marc Pingris, Rafi Reavis, and Yancy De Ocampo were incapable of stopping him. Despite losing the series in seven games, June Mar averaged 18.75 points and 14.50 rebounds. He even had a 20-20 game – something that was done only by Asi Taulava and Eric Menk.

From that point onwards, it was clear to everyone that June Mar Fajardo was going to be one of the most dominant big men in the history of the PBA. In his sophomore year, he was already a double-double machine, earning his first Best Player of the Conference award. By the time the Petron Blaze Boosters changed its name back to San Miguel Beermen, June Mar was soaring to new heights. He raked in several individual accolades for the season including the PBA Most Improved Player, a slot in the PBA All-Defensive team as well as the PBA Mythical First Team, and of course, his first PBA Most Valuable Player award. The rest, as they say, is history.

Will He Win Another MVP Award?

June Mar has five MVP awards entering just his seventh year in the league. That is just inconceivable. He can deliver 20 points and 10 rebounds every night. When he’s on a tear, those stats can be easily 40 points and 20 rebounds. He can dismantle the opponent’s defense from every imaginable way in the paint.

Aside from getting buckets and crashing the boards, June Mar has steadily improved his defense. In fact, he was named into the All-Defensive Team along with SMB teammate Chris Ross, Magnolia’s Rome dela Rosa and Rafi Reavis and defensive juggernaut Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine. That’s what makes Fajardo scary. He’s already this good and yet he continues to improve.

Truth is, we don’t know what will happen in the next few years. Still, putting money on a five-time MVP, two-time Finals MVP, and holder of several Best Player of the Conference awards to bag another MVP trophy is a pretty safe bet. June Mar is in his prime and can sustain this level of excellence for four or five more years. And, given the quality of supporting cast he has around him, he can go on cruise mode – which means a cool 20 and 10 stat line every night – and still be in the MVP conversation every year.

Is He the Greatest of All Time?

For the longest time, El Presidente was anointed by both average fans and basketball pundits as the unofficial GOAT, meaning Greatest of All Time. And rightfully so, since he won four MVP awards in four different teams – a feat unheard of then and now.

From 1982-1988, El Presidente won the top individual award in the PBA every two years. He won with Toyota in 1982, Beer Hausen in 1984, Tanduay in 1986, and San Miguel in 1988.

In Fernandez’s best statistical year, he averaged about 27.8 points, 11.17 rebounds, and 9.92 assists per game. He was just six assists away from pulling an Oscar Robertson and/or Russell Westbrook, which is to average a triple-double for a season. In 64 games that year, he shot 52 percent from the field and 81 percent from the free throw line with more than one and a half steals and more than a couple of blocks a game. Those absurd stats were a testament to his skill set and versatility. To top it all off, he won a ridiculous 19 championships during his 20-year professional basketball career.

Now, June Mar might not be as versatile as Ramon Fernandez especially in playing all five positions, but he is no slouch either in the offensive end. He has an array of moves that can create all sorts of problems to whoever is guarding him. His silky smooth fadeaway jumper and killer spin-and-hook combo are playground favorites Filipino big men across the country try to emulate. Fajardo is a proven winner, too. He has six PBA championships on top of the aforementioned Finals MVPs and Best Player of the Conference awards.

Filipino basketball fans might be reluctant to crown June Mar as the GOAT right now, but in a few more years, that can change. You have to remember that he’s not yet done. We are currently living in his era, and we are witnessing his legend grow. As long as he can maintain this level of play, the case for him as the greatest of all time will only be stronger. He has played less than 300 games in the PBA while Ramon Fernandez played more than a thousand. Time will tell if June Mar truly earns the title, but for now, let’s enjoy watching him play the game we love.