The greatest, perhaps.
June Mar Fajardo’s collection of the Best Player of the Conference award has grown again as he was named the most outstanding local of the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The San Miguel Beermen star, who has the most BPC plums in league history, has now earned his seventh BPC award.
Fajardo bested the likes of Alaska Aces forward Vic Manuel, GlobalPort Batang Pier leaders Stanley Pringle and Sean Anthony, and Meralco Bolts’ third-year combo guard Chris Newsome.
Fajardo had a serious foe for the award in Manuel, as the latter had a remarkable scoring run this conference – Manuel even emerged as the BPC frontrunner at the end of the eliminations.
But, Fajardo regained the lead from Manuel after the quarterfinals, and San Miguel’s 3-1 dispatching of Manuel and the Milkmen in the semis made the 6-foot-10 slotman the clear victor.
Fajardo averaged 20.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the semis.
The proud son of Pinamungajan, Cebu has acquired his second straight BPC award this season, which virtually makes him a lock for this season’s Most Valuable Player honors.
Once his coronation becomes formal, Fajardo will have the most MVP awards in league history with five, breaking the tie he has with all-time greats Alvin Patrimonio and Ramon Fernandez.
Now, all eyes are on the 28-year-old if he will also be able to enter the 5,000-point club tonight in Game Four of the Finals against Best Import Justin Brownlee and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
Fajardo, who’s in his sixth season, is 14 points away from entering the elite club.
