ONE can feel a tinge of sadness when the PBA Greatest Players list comes up in a conversation with retired forward Bong Hawkins.
Despite his glowing achievements as part of Alaska’s so-called Big Three, the now 57-year-old player was overlooked when the league came up with its additional 15 players to join the 25 Greatest named earlier during the PBA silver anniversary.
READ: Bong Hawkins: 10 players we want on PBA 50 Greatest list
It didn’t help any that two of his teammates in that great triumvirate, namely Jojo Lastimosa and Johnny Abarrientos, had already been named as part of that elite group, making his former coach Tim Cone ‘heartbroken’ when Hawkins failed to become part of the 40 Greatest selection chosen a decade ago.
“Medyo masama ang loob, pero hindi naman gaano,” he added. “Kasi maraming nagsasabi na dapat andun ka. Sabi ko wala naman taong magagawa kasi wala naman sa control natin yun.”
But as Asia’s pioneering pro league turns golden a week from now and set to name 10 more players to its 50th Anniversary Team, Hawkins’ name has been perennially floated again before, during, and after the deliberations as to who are the next batch of players deserving of inclusion.
Denied before, Hawkins would rather not expect too much about it.
“Kung kasama, e di kasama. Kung hindi, ok lang naman,” he said during the Basketbol Baliktanaw event, where he served as one of the panel of guests at the Ortigas Library Foundation.
“Siyempre umaasa rin ako, pero it’s out of my hands. Kung ano ang desisyon nila, respeto na lang.”
But it would be such a huge honor for him if ever he’d finally be considered, mentioning it as parallel to winning the grand slam with the Aces.
“Malaking karangalan ito, (malaking) honor ito. Andun ito sa level nung grand slam,” said the biggest star of University of Perpetual Help during its early years in the NCAA.
Hawkins won nine championships as one of the pillars in Cone’s triangle offense during the time when the defunct Alaska franchise lorded it over the league in the mid-90s and early 2000s.
A second round overall pick by Presto in the 1991 draft, Hawkins landed at Alaska following a one-on-one trade with Sta. Lucia in exchange for Bong Alvarez in 1993.
READ Tim Cone 'heartbroken' after former Alaska star Bong Hawkins left out of PBA '40 Greatest' list
The power forward who suited up for University of Santo Tomas in high school, was absorbed by the Realtors when they bought the CFC franchise owned by the Gokongweis at the end of the 1992 season.
He reached his career peak while with the Aces from 1993 to 2001, winning his first championship during the 1994 Governors’ Cup and culminating with the memorable grand slam in 1996.
Hawkins was twice a Mythical Team and Second Mythical Team member, was once part of the All-Defensive Team, a former Most Improved Player, and a Finals MVP during the 1996 Commissioner’s Cup.
A three-time All-Star, the son of the late character actor Rene Hawkins Sr. had been a perennial MVP contender during that stretch, but lost out to teammate Abarrientos in his best ever shot at winning the league’s highest individual award.
He said Alaska’s cohesion as a team was the simple secret to the success of the franchise.
“Tingin ko naman isa lang sa amin ang mawala doon mag-iiba talaga yun. Hindi lang naman ako, kung wala rin si Johnny, wala rin si Jojo,” he said of his fellow Big Three.
Hawkins added, “Kung wala rin si Jeff (Cariaso), kung wala rin si Kenneth (Duremdes). Ang maganda kasi sa Alaska yung core nandun kaya consistent kami (na nananalo).”
His career made a detour when he was traded to Tanduay in 2001, then landed at Coca-Cola two years later where he’ll eventually won his final PBA championship.
Eventually, he returned to Alaska where he played the final season of his career in 2004-05.
In a fitting tribute, Hawkins’ famous No. 16 uniform was among the seven jerseys retired by the Alaska organization before being brought lock, stock, and barrel by Converge in 2022.
“Thank you kay (coach) Tim,” said Hawkins when reminded how heartbroken the coach was when Hawkins wasn’t made part of the 40 Greatest Players.
“Alam ko naman na kahit paano naging malaki yung part ko dun sa dynasty ng Alaska.”
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