[Fourth of a series]
Picking a 'best' list is always a tricky proposition. One's choices do not always conform with what others think. And in a country like ours where basketball is what people eat for breakfast, we expect a vigorus debate as we come out with our list of 10 players who we thought ought to be added to the 40 Greatest PBA Players earlier chosen.
Our list is a selection that we will release, one player at a time, while the PBA itself is trying to form its own list of 10 to be selected by a committee formed by PBA commissioner Willie Marcial to complete the 50 Greatest in time for the league's 50th Anniversary celebration next month.
The selection committee is composed of league greats, former commissioners and select mediamen from different outlets.
We assure our readers that our selection is not influenced by what is deliberated closed doors by the committee whose members, including one from SPIN.ph, have vowed not to divulge any part of the discussion or voting procedure.
Here's the fourth installment of our series on 50 Greatest.
1. ARNULFO 'ARNIE' TUADLES
Read Tuadles piece HERE
2. NELSON ASAYTONO
Read Asaytono piece HERE
3. JUNE MAR FAJARDO
Read Fajardo piece HERE
4. BONG HAWKINS
JOHNNY Abarrientos. Jojo Lastimosa. Sean Chambers. Tim Cone. Those were the immediate names you’d recall when the Grand Slam-winning Alaska Milkmen squad back in 1996 would be brought up in conversations.
Almost always lost in that discussion is one Bong Hawkins, probably one of the most underrated players not only in that era, but in all of PBA history.
But being underrated does not mean that he should be underappreciated, and that’s why Hawkins – a man fondly called as “The Hawk” by the Milkmen faithful of the '90s – is part of the 10 players we want to see included in the upcoming 50 greatest list.
If there was a ‘Tim Cone guy’ before the word ‘Tim Cone guy’ got thrown around – it was Hawkins, the engine behind that vaunted triangle offense.
His ability to spread the floor as a stretch four, dish out good passes from the pinch post, put the ball on the floor, and make good reads off the ball makes his contributions to Alaska’s dynastic run in that era invaluable.
For kids who were too young, or weren’t even alive at that time, to witness Hawkins play – think Joe Devance in his heyday with the B-Meg/San Mig Coffee days. Now add that highly-recognizable jumper where he cocks the ball over and beyond his head, as well as some much-welcome physicality, and there you’d have it.
Now that we’ve laid down his impact for his squad – let’s talk about achievements.
Hawkins is a nine-time PBA champion. He was the Best Player of the Conference, and the Finals MVP in the 1996 Commissioner’s Cup, the season when they eventually completed the rare Grand Slam.
For that entire year, he put up averages of 15.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and a steal per game.
He made the Mythical First Team twice, and the Second Team twice as well. He was the Most Improved Player in 1994 in his first year with the Milkmen, and it didn’t really come as a surprise after leading the team both in points and rebounding during that season.
He also made the All-Star selection thrice, made the All-Defensive team once, and his number 16 jersey was deservingly retired by the Alaska franchise promptly after his highly-illustrious 15-year PBA career ended.
A multi-time champion, a former Best Player of the Conference, finals MVP, a multi-time All Star, and a guy who’s averaged nearly 14 and 7 for his entire career should’ve made the cut 10 years ago when the PBA named its 40 Greatest Players list in 2015.
Leaving him out now would certainly be a travesty.
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