The two won multiple championships together, including a pair of gold medals in the SEA Games and Asian Games.
San Miguel Beermen superstar June Mar Fajardo hoisted his seventh MVP trophy during the Leo Awards at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
No other PBA player has done what he has achieved, pretty much ending the GOAT debate in the 48-year-old league.
Shortly after the awarding ceremony, teammate Chris Ross took to Instagram to reiterate the collective sentiment of fellow players and fans.
“You deserve it all my brother,” he said in an Instagram Story.
The two won multiple championships together, including a pair of gold medals in this year's SEA Games and Asian Games.
In the same post, Ross also threw in a bold claim that most will agree with.
“Only thing stopped him was the pandemic!” the veteran playmaker said.
Look:
Of course, it wasn't just that as prior to the pandemic, the gentle giant sustained a complete fracture on his right tibia. That injury kept The Kraken out for an entire season as he healed up and eased back into competitive basketball. Subsequently, without the dominant Fajardo, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Scottie Thompson won the MVP award.
Not that he didn't deserve it. But the fact remains that when Fajardo is at full strength, all roads to the MVP ultimately still lead to him.
In a lengthy speech on Sunday, Fajardo said the injury cast a doubt on his ability to play at an MVP level again.
Years later, though, the The Kraken proved he is still the gold standard. And at the rate things are going, it seems an eighth MVP remains within reach for the Cebuano behemoth. That should be good news for San Miguel and its legion of fans.
(MDB)