THERE'S BEEN a lot of discussions on social media regarding who gets the nod for the upcoming Hall of Legends ceremony in Season 12 of the MPL Philippines.
Big names were highlighted by the community. Coach Francis "Duckey" Glindro's recent success in the SEA Games and IESF, combined with his accolades in the M2 World Championship, are shoe-ins for his Hall of Fame status.
Then there's Salic "Hadji" Imam whose awards would dwarf everyone in the scene. With a resume featuring a truckload of MPL trophies and M3 World Championship, is there anything else that needs to be said?
Alongside them is Jaypee "Jaypee" Dela Cruz who drew praise for his performances with Sunsparks during his prime years as well as his underrated role with ECHO PH.
Even some of the talents are getting the recognition from the community as Caisam "Wolf" Nopueto and even Mara Aquino are being heralded as worthy of the induction.
Until fans started bringing up Billy "Z4pnu" Alfonso's name, which yielded some criticism from the community.
Unlike Hadji, Jaypee, and Duckey, Z4pnu isn't the most crowned figure as he only boasts an MSC trophy back in 2021 when he was a substitute player for Execration.
But are accolades really the definition of a legend?

Are championships important?
To say that Z4pnu shouldn't be in the Hall of Legends because of his lack of silverware is like saying that Allen Iverson shouldn't be in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame because he never won an NBA Championship or a gold medal for Team USA in the Olympics.
Now there's the counter argument that Iverson has been awarded with other accolades like his MVP in 2001 and a plethora of all-star and all-team selections, which Z4pnu doesn't have.
But it is unfair to judge Z4pnu based on those awards as he played in the MPL scene which was still relatively new, and few of individual awards. It is only now where we have these all-team selections.
Also there are playes and individuals who were inducted in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame not because of the championships they earned but due to their contributions and impact in the scene and Z4pnu clearly has that edge, which we'll look into.

Z4pnu's impact
Joshua "Ch4knu" Mangilog didn't mince his words when talking about Z4pnu's influence in the scene.
During the press conference of the Season 10 playoffs, Ch4knu said: “Sa akin ilalagay ko yung number one idol ko si Z4pnu kase marami siyang na-inspire maglaro ng ML since Day 1,” said Ch4knu.
But he wasn't the only one who praised Billy for his overall impact. Jeniel "YellyHaze" Bata-anon agreed with Ch4knu.
“Ganundin sa akin, si Billy (Z4pnu) po kase siya po yung nakapansin sa akin noong nag-umpisa pa lang ako and ayun kung saan-saan ako napunta,” said the former Nexplay support player.
Looking back at the archives, one may notice how brilliant Z4pnu was in his prime playing years and it's understandable why fans and pro players have respected him.
Before there was Kairi "Kairi" Rayosdelsol, it was Z4pnu who lit up the scene with his Fanny pick. He even showed his prowess with Lancelot before Karl "KarlTzy" Nepomuceno made that hero as his staple during the M2 World Championship.
Combine that with his bolsterous personality, and fans and players alike have a hero to look up to, adding to the scene's marketability in the early days, and debunking the myth that Z4pnu is purely a "content creator."
Yet despite some flashy highlights that has wowed fans, why has Z4pnu struggled to attain trophies?

A lack of a winning mentality
Two major obstacles have hampered his career, OBS/Execration's drinking habits and the absence of key stars in the early days.
In Legacies Episode 2, both Jomie "Pakbet" Abalos and Z4pnu revealed that before games, the players of Execration wouldn't take practice sessions seriously and would rather chug alcohol even when the playoffs were fast approaching.
The end result saw Execration getting the boot out of the playoffs in the early rounds.
It was also in that episode where Pakbet revealed a 'what-if' scenario where OBS Gaming had John "Yakou" Magno and YellyHaze alongside Pakbet and Z4pnu. With the former two leaving the team before the start of Season 1, Aether Main was in full control of the tournament.
Imagine an alternate universe where OBS/Execration were more disciplined and star-studded, the end result could yield Z4pnu being included as one of the GOATs in the scene, and perhaps a world class performer in international events.

Redemption arc
Yet despite some flaws in his career, Z4pnu did manage to redeem himself, especially when he told his teammates to forego their old habits in favor of a winning mindset.
This was now the time when the organization started to become contenders and while Z4pnu barely had playing time, it was through his leadership from behind-the-scenes that forged the new comeback maestros, the MSC 2021 champions, Execration.
One of the pillars of the MPL Hall of Legends is strength and Z4pnu displayed that with his Fanny back in the early days, but strength also comes with being able to overcome the demons of the past, and that's exactly what Z4pnu did when he rallied his team to become champions.

CONCLUSION
Many have forgotten Z4pnu's legacy in the MLBB scene as fans have been clouded by his overall image as a clout chasing content creator that has led to Indonesian MLBB fans and Blacklist agents wanting his head on a pitch fork.
But his controversial image shouldn't be viewed as a hindrance to be a part of the Hall of Legends. Allen Iverson was a polarizing figure in his prime years, clashing against his coaches and ignoring the NBA's traditional dress code, yet he still ended up being recognized for being the cultural phenomenon that inspired many individuals.
Iverson who came from a troubled past, proved that anyone can redeem themselves, something that Z4pnu has also done in his career.
In addition, Z4pnu's cultural impact in terms of balancing a career as pro player, personality, and content creator should be acknowledged, as it has likewise opened the doors to the likes of Renejay "RENEJAY" Barcarse and Tristan "Yawi" Cabrera.
Based on the factors indicated earlier, Z4pnu's legacy is worthy of the nod hence our final verdict, Hall of Legends material.
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