It’s hard to think that the harsh words of skeptics and naysayers could cut through someone as resilient as June Mar Fajardo, but they did.
One of the PBA’s greatest admitted doubting whether he could still come back and play after suffering a shin injury back in 2020, as he read and heard the comments of critics regarding his future in the league he’s been dominating.
“Nung nabali tibia ko, maraming nagsabi na wala na, ‘di na ako makakabalik sa PBA. Kahit ako, nag-cross din sa isip ko na baka ‘di na nga ako makabalik,” reflected the Cebuano star, who had to sit out for over a year before returning.
Years after coming back, Fajardo hushed all of them yet again by claiming his ninth league MVP plum during the Season 49 Leo Awards on Sunday.
The San Miguel main man has more than doubled the record number of times the highest individual title was previously won, and all that, he said, was thanks to his trusting the process on his path back to competing.
“Kasi ‘pag maggi-give up ako by default, talo na ako,” he said. “Gusto ko, what if bigyan ko ng chance sarili ko? What if gawin ko mga exercises, mga therapies ko, mga rehab ko religiously baka magbago takbo, baka makabalik ako.
“‘Yun nga ginawa ko, ‘yun nga ‘yung nangyari. Dapat huwag tayo mag-give up. Normal lang naman na mag-struggle tayo. part ‘yan ng growth natin–‘yung struggle. Part ‘yun ng journey natin.”
Making his ninth MVP all the more sweeter was receiving as much in the presence of those who helped pave the way for players like him, none more important than the ‘El President’ himself, Ramon Fernandez.
The PBA’s ‘GOAT,’ who was in attendance to celebrate the league’s Season 50 opening rites, was one of his mentors during his early years playing in Cebu.
“Isang karangalan kasi sila ‘yung nag-set ng standard–sina sir Mon, sina sir Alvin [Patrimonio], lahat ng mga legends, sila nag-set ng standard.”
With nine MVPs, will he try to make it 10 this season? That’s now the question fans and pundits alike are considering that he’s still in his prime at 35.
“‘Di ko iniisip ‘yun,” he said. “Kasi ang inaano ko game by game, one game at a time. one conference at a time. ‘Di ako nag-aano na ‘yun ‘yung goal ko.
“Kasi ‘pag ‘yun ang goal ko, ‘di ko na iisipin mga teammates ko. Baka sarili ko na lang isipin ko, baka mag-bwakaw na ako,” added Fajardo.
Because, as he’s said countless times in the past, championships remain his one true goal as long as he’s playing, aiming to grow his 11 titles bigger.
“More championships pa,” he said. “Lahat naman ng players ‘yun din goal. ‘Yun din goal ko.
“Sana maraming championships pa na darating bago ako mag-retiro.”
#WATCH: 👑 June Mar Fajardo delivers his speech after claiming his 9th PBA MVP award! 🏀#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/tI2phPtqx3
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times#PBA50 pic.twitter.com/UVoJPH5JY0
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) October 5, 2025
