These five players will be under the microscope this new year.
The new year means a fresh start for the PBA’s best, who will have all of 12 months to once again showcase what they can do. And while that is true for all players, we reckon these five players will have the most to prove in 2023:
Mikey Williams
There is little doubt about Williams’s talent. But his contract holdout nearly derailed TNT’s Philippine Cup campaign, and his off-court issues unraveled the Tropang Giga in the Commissioner’s Cup. The question now with this uber-talented guard is whether or not he can avoid being a distraction. If he can, the on-court production will speak for itself. That’s the kind of talent Williams is.
Robert Bolick
Bolick routinely puts up gaudy numbers, but his stat sheet-stuffing ways haven’t translated to winning basketball just yet. Granted, Berto’s Batang Pier team is not a powerhouse by any means, but there is enough for Northport to at least reach the semis — if Bolick can elevate his teammates’ level of play. Put simply, can Berto bring his team to greater heights? We’ll find out soon enough.
June Mar Fajardo
It seems weird to have the six-time MVP in this list, especially after he helped San Miguel to another Philippine Cup title. But the reality is Fajardo doesn’t appear to be the same Kraken who dominated the league for the better part of the last decade. He did Kraken things, all right, but can he still dominate an entire conference? Or are his best days behind him?
Justin Arana
Arana is this season’s prospective ROY, which isn’t surprising because he is that good. But is Arana good enough to be one of the foundations of a future contender? Converge under Aldin Ayo made impressive strides in this Commissioner’s Cup, and it will continue doing so if Arana can develop into an elite big. He certainly has the tools to do it.
Scottie Thompson
The reigning MVP seems too good to be in this list already, like Fajardo. Then again, Thompson is in his prime years, which means it is reasonable to expect more from him. He could be a more aggressive scorer, for starters, because Ginebra will need more of it — especially in the Philippine Cup — with Stanley Pringle showing signs that he is leaving his prime.