The Living Legend

June Mar Fajardo. 6x PBA MVP.
Photo: CNN Philippines

Author's note: Isn't it funny how just a week or two ago, most of us were scrambling, racing against time, trying our best to meet deadlines, submit reports, pay bills and so on? Now we find ourselves trying our best to live each day to the fullest, trying our earnest not to cross the line between being safe and paranoid altogether. 

Here is our long overdue take on the greatness of one Philippine Basketball Association player, an individual who, no matter what happens moving forward, has already cemented his legacy and name in just about every Filipino sports annals. 

Happy reading, and please do stay at home if you can. 

Just about every sports writer/ influencer/ fan/ blogger has already written about the PBA's unrivaled 6x Most Valuable Player June mar Fajardo. Of how a quiet 6"10 Cebuano rose to fame from the province, before moving to the ASEAN Basketball League as a sparingly used bench warmer (we can't even call him a role player at the time) and then the PBA. Sure, he still looks lost in the scheme of things whenever he is asked to play for flag and country. But when given the time, the play, the opportunity to show his wares, he has always handled himself pretty well against the best of them.

And not once did we hear any news of him not wanting to play. If he's healthy, he'll suit up. In spite of the fact that whoever's been coaching the national team, tends to run a more perimeter oriented style rather than making full use of Fajardo and the 6"11 import Andray Blatche.

He'll suit up for flag and country. No questions asked.

PBA GovCup Finals: Ginebra v Meralco

Act III
(Photo credit: ABS CBN Sports)

Our apologies for being a game late with our preview, though we are admittedly not as bothered because somehow, someway, this "trilogy" between the Meralco Bolts and their continued tormentors, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel feels as though it will go the distance.

Call it a gut feel.

Fine, for those who have been following our blog and Twitter accounts, we're currently at an abysmal 2 and 4 with our predictions. But hey, like the band Journey: "don't stop. Believing."

Hold on to that feeling.

*apir kung kinanta mo din*

Much has changed since these two teams first met in the PBA Finals. Meralco made sure to check all the boxes and dot all their i's by adding gunner Allein Maliksi, rim protector Raymond Almazan and bruiser Raymar Jose. There were a lot of times in the first two encounters wherein they really felt the absence of a perimeter gunner (Chris Newsome was all by his lonesome), a reliable big who is agile enough to keep in step with Ginebra's towering giants Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter, and a young enforcer to help spell their throng of veteran power forwards.

2019 PBA Draft Reactions - The Gilas 5

Gilas 2023
(Photo: ABS CBN Sports)

Here's what we know, based on facts:

The official announcement was posted on PBA.ph on December 5, just three days away from the actual 2019 PBA Draft which up to that point, was really not enjoying any buzz be it on the airwaves or on social media. See, the PBA Draft is the PBA's lifeblood in more ways than one. Not only are teams getting new players, but they are also counting on the new (old) fans of the aforementioned to jump in. As in previous years, you've got established college stars who enjoy massive followings entering the Draft and all of a sudden, their teams enjoy an increase in following. Best case study of course if Chris Tiu of THE Ateneo, who Rain or Shine picked years ago and voila, all of a sudden RoS had a lot of Tiu-pporters up to his last game.

Is that a thing? Tiu-pporters? Or are they really (blasphemously) known as Iglesia ni Chris Tiu?

Anyway, back to the PBA GILAS Draft.