JUNE Mar Fajardo cherishes his selection to the PBA 50 Greatest Players more than his total of eight MVP awards.
Not that he doesn’t put weight on being the only player in league history to win the highest individual award a record eight times, but, as always, the San Miguel big man is placing more premium on teamwork.
“Mas higit pa ito (sa MVP),” said Fajardo when asked where this latest feat ranks in his illustrious pro career.
“Maihahanay ko ito sa mga championships na napanalunan ko. Championships kasi yung pinaka-top list ko kasi yun naman yong goal ko lagi.”
Eight MVPs, 10 championships in 13 years. That’s how Fajardo’s career has been defined so far, and obviously, he’s not yet through doing what he does best.
Fajardo, 35, and Scottie Thompson are the only active players included in the 10 additions to the league’s Greatest list as part of its 50th anniversary celebration on April 9.
READ: Asaytono, King, Tuadles part of PBA 50 Greatest Players at last
The two were selected by virtue of an unwritten rule adopted by the league when it began naming players to the list 25 years ago about MVP winners being outright additions.
JMF, GOAT
Just a single MVP trophy would have already secured the place of the 35-year-old Fajardo to the elite group - what more having eight tucked under his belt.
And then there’s the other individual awards that further cemented his status.
The Cebuano center, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 Draft, is an 11-time Best Player of the Conference, four-time Finals MVP, nine-time Mythical First Team member and once a Second Mythical Team winner, former Defensive Player of the Year and made the All-Defensive Team seven times, former Most Improved Player, a two-time recipient of the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award, and a nine-time All-Star.
Despite the accolades, the 6-foot-10 Fajardo continued to remain humble and wasn’t even expecting to become a member of the PBA Greatest for its golden anniversary celebration.
“Hindi ko inakala na masasali na ako sa 50 Greatest,” he said. “Isang karangalan sa akin na mapabilang ako dito.”
Along with Fajardo and Thompson, also making the grade were Nelson Asaytono, Danny Seigle, Jeffrey Cariaso, Bong Hawkins, Abe King, Manny Victorino, Yoyoy Villamin, and the late Arnie Tuadles.
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