[Editors' note: This is the second installment of our 'WHAT IF' series to look back at important events that could've altered Philippine basketball history. By the way, Danny Francisco is celebrating his 51st birthday today, April 21]
WHENEVER sportswriters get together for a round of beer or two after work or after the PBA games and they’re in the company of a retired player or coach they’ve not been with for a while, most specially if it’s for the first time, they will - more often than not - come up with this question for their guest before the night is over:
“Who is your all-time Mythical Five or best Filipino player at every position among those who never made it to the PBA for one reason or another?”
While healthy discussions linger all night long for the 1 to 4 positions, the choice at the center slot has always been unanimous - Danny Francisco. He is likely even the all-time best player that didn’t make the PBA for most of those who were asked. There is no debate at all for the case of the 6-foot-7 reed-thin former Ateneo big man who after leading the Blue Eagles to back-to-back UAAP titles in 1987 and 1988, had to retire prematurely at the age of 19 because of a heart ailment.
Prior to the 1989 UAAP season, Francisco underwent a routine medical check-up where doctors discovered a “murmur” in his heart. After more tests, he was found to have aortic aneurysm, an abnormal bulge in the aorta, the largest vessel of everyone’s heart which pumps blood to the body.
Further playing the sport he loved meant risking the aneurysm to rupture, internal bleeding, or even a heart attack hence the decision to retire prematurely was a no-brainer decision for Francisco.
THE NEXT RAMON FERNANDEZ
After leading Ateneo to UAAP titles right in his first two years in college, Francisco easily made it to the 19-under national team in 1989 that finished third in the Asian Youth Championship held in Manila won by China.
For his size, brains and talent that were in full display in the UAAP and with the 19-under national youth team that included the likes of Ateneo teammate Olsen Racela, Vergel Meneses, Jun Limpot, Bong Ravena and EJ Feihl, Francisco was in no time christened by not a few pundits as the second coming of Ramon Fernandez.
At that time, Fernandez had just won a then record fourth MVP award with San Miguel Beer in the PBA in 1988 even at the age of 35. To this day, many still consider him to be the greatest PBA pro ever with his still-league record 19 championships won while still being the league’s all-time leader in points scored, minutes played, total rebounds and shotblocks and second all-time in assists and steals.
To give you an idea of how he plays, here's a video of Danny Francisco in an Ateneo-La Salle title game:
Racela, who was with Francisco in those two Ateneo UAAP title teams, agreed with the Fernandez comparison. And more.
“Danny Francisco was definitely ahead of his time, much like Mon Fernandez. He was a 6-7 center who was comfortable facing the basket, had a perimeter shot and had passing skills like a guard. When he retired before our junior year in college, he already had a three-point shot, a weapon that bigs use nowadays. This was unheard of during the late 80s and early 90s,” says Racela, who went on to become a legendary point guard in the pros and is now an assistant coach at Barangay Ginebra in the PBA behind Tim Cone.
Cone, now the winngest coach in PBA history with his 22 titles, was just starting his coaching career in the PBA the year Francisco abruptly retired, but he also was already a witness to the big guy’s potential that time. He also coached against Fernandez for five seasons.
“Danny had very similar skills [as Fernandez] but he was taller and a lefty. There really was no ceiling on Danny’s potential so in the end, yes, he could have possibly been the next Mon Fernandez,” says Cone.
Limpot, the No. 1 overall draft pick in the PBA in 1993 who eventually won Rookie of the Year honors at season’s end, was actually only just Franciso’s back-up in that 1989 19-under team and really looked up to him literally and figuratively.
“Hanggang ngayon pag nagkikita kami ni Danny sinasabi ko sa kanya idol ko talaga siya noon at malaking tulong siya sa career ko. Inobserbahan ko talaga yan dun sa 19-under team na ‘yon. May finesse maglaro, marunong mag-dribble, mataas basketball IQ, grabe work ethic, kundisyun katawan… mas malaking Mon Fernandez siya, mapapahanga ka talaga,” says the 6-foot-5 Limpot, who had battles of his own against Francisco while playing for DLSU in the UAAP.
Eric Reyes, a former teammate of Francisco at Ateneo and now a basketball analyst, said: “If we all admired Jun Limpot then, Danny would have equaled or surpassed Jun because of his all-around skills. Danny could mix it up underneath. He was gifted with great court vision and sense, defensive skills, and great off the pivot and even knows what to do in the clutch. Rebounding was his strength also since he positions well and uses his length to be great off the boards."
Another PBA coaching great, Chot Reyes, who was able to coach Francisco when the latter was still in high school at Ateneo, isn’t a fan of the Fernandez comparison.
“Would he have been the next Mon Fernandez? No. He would’ve been the first Danny Francisco. They have very different skill sets. Mon was a prototypical post player with multiple skills - passing, scoring, ballhandling - not normally seen in ‘big men.’ Danny did not have the variety of post moves of Mon, but had an unstoppable skyhook. This combined with his 3-point shooting would’ve made him unguardable. He would’ve revolutionized the game by being the first ‘stretch 5’ in the world,” said Reyes, a five-team Coach of the Year in the PBA and a successful international head coach with Gilas Pilipinas.
Dickie Bachmann, Limpot’s teammate and DLSU’s primary defender against Francisco in the UAAP back then who’s now Alaska team manager and board representative in the PBA, echoed Chot Reyes’ sentiments: “Danny had potential to be the next Fernandez but I would say they play different.”
Quinito Henson, a sportswriter, analyst and columnist for at least the last five decades and analumnus and supporter of DLSU, also was skeptical about the Francisco-Fernandez comparison, specially when he took into account the longevity of a player.
“Difficult to say if Danny could’ve been another Fernandez, who was in a class of his own. What made Don Ramon extra special was his durability,” said Henson of Fernandez, who played 20 seasons in the PBA and didn’t hang up his sneakers until he was 40 in 1994. “Danny wouldn’t have been as durable over the same period of years in the PBA because of his health condition. But skills-wise, Danny could’ve been one of the PBA greats.”
Eugene Quilban, the third overall pick of Alaska and Cone in the 1991 PBA Draft who went on to win Rookie of the Year honors at season’s end, was never a fan of Francisco.
“Overrated,” said Quilban, who was part of the San Sebastian NCAA title teams in 1987 and 1988, and was actually the collegiate league's MVP in 1988 and 1989, which was about the same time Ateneo was dominating the UAAP.
“Walang binatbat si Danny kay Bong Solomon namin noong araw,” said Quilban of his former Stags teammate, who went on to be drafted second overall also by Cone and Alaska in the 1992 PBA Draft behind the Presto Tivoli’s Meneses.
Incidentally, San Sebastian, led by Quilban and Solomon, and Ateneo, led by Francisco and Jun Reyes, had crossed paths in the finals of the 1989 national inter-collegiate tournament at the ULTRA.
The Stags, with Quilban and Solomon combining to score their team’s last five points, four of them inside the shaded lane where Francisco was left flat-footed, won the down-the-wire championship game 93-91, for their record 23rd straight win as a team dating back to their 1988 NCAA title.
PBA MVP, CHAMPIONSHIPS?
These coaches, former players and contemporaries, interviewed for this article, however, all agreed that Francisco was too great a player not to have won at least one MVP award and at least one championship had he gone on to play in the pros.
“At least two to three championships,” said Bachmann.
“Danny was a unique talent, loved the game and had great work ethic. Those three things usually equate to MVPs,” said Cone for his part.
MVP, ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IN SAME YEAR?
Soon as he entered the PBA if he could’ve, would Francisco have duplicated Benjie Paras’ historic MVP and Rookie of the Year awards with Shell in 1989?
Chot Reyes: “Yes.”
Bachmann: “That would be difficult but I believe yes.”
Cone: “That would have been possible but the situation would have to be right. What Benjie did was only done once and there’s a reason it’s only been done once. It’s extremely hard to do but Danny had enough talent to have a chance.”
Henson: “Had Danny turned pro in 1989, it would’ve been a duel with Paras …but I don’t think he would’ve been ROY and MVP on the same year.”
Limpot: “Manipis katawan pero maraming aspeto yung laro niya - may points, rebounds at assists - pati depensa meron, kasi magaling tyumempo at mahaba ang galamay. Maraming statistical points na mahahakot yun pero hindi natin masabi.”
Eric Reyes: “Possible but the challenge would be bulking up his weight which Benjie already had at the start. He has the finesse to beat Benjie but back then, Danny might have some adjustments to do with the ‘no harm, no foul’ rule.”
Racela: “The physicality of the PBA would’ve been a problem for Danny because of his lean frame but because of his high basketball IQ he would’ve been able to adjust to it easily. Still it would’ve been difficult to win Rookie of the Year and MVP at the same time.”
WOULD’VE CHANGED PBA 90’S LANDSCAPE
Without any doubt, Francisco would’ve surely changed the landscape of the PBA if not for that heart ailment that cut a potentially legendary basketball career short. Fortunes of teams and players during the 1990s would’ve totally changed had he been around, for sure.
Limpot and Racela, a second-round pick at 12th overall by Purefoods in 1993, believed Francisco would’ve hypothetically entered the PBA either in 1992 or 1993, and either way would’ve been a top overall pick in the draft, dislodging Meneses in 1992 or Limpot himself a year later.
“Noong time kasi na yun talagang magaling na malaki ang hanap ng mga teams. Kakaunti lang ang magagaling na sentro noon so malamang si Francisco ang top pick ng Tivoli noong 1992 lalo pa may (Allan) Caidic pa sila noon,” said Limpot.
And if the Presto franchise was able to acquire Francisco, would it have been enough to convince the team owner then - the franchise was owned by the late Gokongwei, although he left all the decisions to good friend Ignacio Gotao - not to sell the team to Sta. Lucia at the end of the season?
Nobody knows.
For sure, however, if Tivoli selected Francisco No. 1 in the 1992 Draft, Alaska and Cone wouldn’t have selected Solomon at No. 2 and would’ve instead taken Meneses.
“Absolutely!,” says Cone on that would-have-been easy decision. “I really loved Vergel coming out of JRC (Jose Rizal College, now Jose Rizal University). He had superstar written all over him. In an era of illegal defenses, one-on-one, isolation basketball, there was no one more dominant. Vergel was truly special. Having the chance to coach him for 10 years rather than just one chance with the (1998) Centennial Team would have been a dream come true.”
Solomon’s career in the PBA proved short-lived because of an eye injury and with Cone and Alaska drafting Johnny Abarrientos the following season, who knows what fortunes awaited the Aces with Meneses around in the years the followed.
If he turned pro in 1993, what were the chances of Sta. Lucia drafting Francisco instead of Limpot, who bared he was then already in talks with Ginebra which owned the No. 2 pick.
“Nakausap na ako ng Ginebra bago iyon. Sabi nila, pag di daw ako kinuha ng Sta. Lucia, ako daw kukunin nila sa No. 2,” Limpot revealed.
Ginebra’s actual No. 2 pick then was Vic Pablo but he was quickly traded to Pepsi for veteran big man Manny Victorino.
One can only imagine’s how Ginebra’s fortunes would’ve changed that year with Limpot which would’ve probably resulted in not getting the No. 1 pick the following year in 1994 that netted them Noli Locsin and probably subsequently also in 1996 with Marlou Aquino.
FRANCISCO WITH PBA TEAMS
Whichever PBA team he ended up with if he turned pro, there was no doubt that Francisco would’ve been successful.
“Franchise player sigurado yang si Danny sa PBA. Pwedeng-pwede magdala ng team. Bigyan lang yan ng players na mag-compliment sa kanya, magdo-dominate talaga sa PBA yan,” Limpot said.
“Lalo na kung napunta siya sa isang team tulad ng Alaska o San Miguel Beer na may history na ng pagpapanalo o may blueprint na para manalo, kahit ilang championships siguro kaya nila ipanalo. Sky’s the limit bigla,” added Limpot.
“Danny would’ve had an easy time fitting into a system-oriented team like Alaska and in the SMB days of Ron Jacobs kasi very coachable siya and understands plays easily,” says Eric Reyes. “Even if he ended up in Sunkist and with those great one-on-one players, he would’ve thrived on the defensive end and provided stability at the 4-5 positions.”
“Danny would have fit anywhere. Obviously, I'm biased for Alaska at that time, but if we had Danny in the triangle, he would have been unstoppable. We could have used him in so many ways," says Cone.
"But also, it is easy to imagine him playing with any of the teams and succeeding and bringing championships. He could have fit in with Marlou, or Jun Limpot, or Vergel or Allan. He was so unselfish, he could have worked well with another superstar… his versatility would have allowed us to do many things. He would have been Joe Devance times 10 during that era, kind of a Pau Gasol/Lamar Odom rolled into one."
Racela and Bachmann echoed Cone's words.
“He would’ve been a perfect fit for Alaska and the triangle offense and could’ve given them a championship right in his rookie year,” Racela said.
“Every team then was always on the lookout for big guys that can rebound, shoot and block shots. He would’ve made an impact on any team,” echoed Bachmann.
Henson believes Francisco would’ve been more successful if he ended up at Ginebra.
“Danny would’ve been a fit on the Ginebra/Anejo teams. He would’ve learned a lot from (Sonny) Jaworksi and Philip Cezar. The team’s centers then were Romy Mamaril, Rey Cuenco, Harmon Codinera and Peter Aguilar. Danny could’ve played 4 or 5 and Jaworski would’ve played many twin-tower combinations,” he said.
LIFE ABOVE ALL
Looking back, this questions begs for an answer: was heart surgery a good option for Francisco 31 years ago when he was still a young 19?
After all, former First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo, during the term of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was able to undergo a successful heart surgery on April 9, 2007 to repair a similar aortic aneurysm problem even at the age of 61.
But Dr. Benigno Agbayani, an arthroscopy and arthroplasty surgeon and orthopedic sports medicine practitioner, believes Francisco made the right decision back then.
“Specially at that time when aortic surgeries were still difficult to do compared to today, operating on it was probably not advisable back then. Very risky pa siguro noon even if he was still young,” said Agbayani.
“Sa likod ng puso pa yung aorta so hindi madali yung operasyun lalo na siguro at that time,” he added.
Remember Len Bias, the Boston Celtics’ No. 2 overall pick in 1986, who never got to play in the NBA? Months before the start of the season, he died at the age of 22 because of a heart problem which was induced by cocaine overdose.
There was also Hank Gathers, another outstanding college basketball player from Loyola Marymount, who collapsed in a game in 1990 and died because of a heart muscle disorder.
There was also Reggie Lewis also of the Boston Celtics who had virtually the same disorder as Gathers who collapsed and died of cardiac arrest during practice in 1993.
Here in the Philippines, there was JRU high school cager CJ Servillon who collapsed in a game in the 2015 Filoil Flying V Hanes Premier Cup and died. He was only 17.
And just five months ago, business tycoon and sportsman Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr., a basketball and golf enthusiast and healthy-living advocate, also collapsed in a basketball game and died. Only 53, Tan reportedly was later found to have had aortic aneurysm, the same heart problem as Francisco.
Danny Francisco said goodbye to basketball prematurely in 1989 but he lives and is doing well. And that is much, much more important than any PBA MVP award, championship or Hall of Fame career he would’ve had if he hadn’t made the right decision in 1989.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
