Good news for San Miguel fans: June Mar Fajardo is already cleared to play.
No less than San Miguel Corp. (SMC) sports director Alfrancis Chua disclosed as much during a guest appearance in The Chasedown, Saturday.
The coach-turned-executive said that the reigning six-time PBA Most Valuable Player already has the go-signal from the renowned Dr. George Canlas.
“We’re expecting him to play next conference or this season,” said Chua.
“Doc (George) Canlas said may go signal na siya to play.”
Fajardo missed last season held in the Clark bubble to tread the road to recovery from a gruesome leg injury he suffered in practice last February.
And the Beermen badly missed his presence.
Without him, their five-year reign as kings of the Philippine Cup came to a screeching halt following their quarterfinal loss to Meralco via sweep.
A new era then ushered and sister team Barangay Ginebra took over the throne after dispatching TNT Tropang Giga in the Finals, 4-1.
Chua didn’t take away anything from the Gin Kings but he admitted that things could have been different had Fajardo stayed healthy and played.
“Iba siguro kung andun si June Mar,” he said.
The 31-year-old has progressed a lot since his injury, something that he has been documenting through his YouTube channel AHOS Gaming.
He returned to the court for the first time back on Oct. 2 to shoot around, and then lifted weights and worked out in the gym weeks later.
The new PBA season is targeted to open on April 9.
