PBA GOAT headlines my additions to PBA Greatest Players list

A little over a month from now the Philippine Basketball Association will unveil its 50 Greatest Players list in celebration of Asia's first play-for-pay league's 50th anniversary.

So, like any other local hoops fan, I too have my own opinion on the 10 additional players deserving of joining the 40 Greatest Players list that came out in 2015 (the original 25 Greatest Players list was in 2000).

Topping my list, of course, is eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player Junemar "The Kraken" Fajardo and there's no debate here as even the likes of Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio can't hold a candle to what the 6'10" giant has accomplished in the PBA.

Aside from his eight MVP awards—now known as the Leo Prieto Trophy—the longtime San Miguel Beermen center has also collected 10 PBA championships, 11 PBA Best Player of the Conference awards, nine inclusions to the PBA All-Star Games, was part of nine PBA Mythical First Team and one PBA Mythical Second Team, PBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2015, PBA Most Improved Player in 2014, was a seven-time PBA All-Defensive Team member, part of the PBA All-Rookie Team in 2012, and was the PBA Comeback Player of the Year in 2021.

Another shoe-in to the list for me is Scottie "Iskati" Thompson, who like Fajardo is a former PBA Most Valuable Player (which seems to be the yardstick in being included in the 50 Greatest Players list).

The 6'1" Ginebra guard has also won seven PBA titles, two PBA Finals MVP, PBA Sportsmanship Award in 2020, is a two-time PBA Best Player of the Conference, a six-time PBA All-Star, a two-time PBA Mythical First Team, one-time PBA Mythical Second Team, part of the PBA All-Rookie Team in 2016, and was the PBA Most Improved Player in 2018.

Thompson's mentor, LA Tenorio, is also in my PBA 50 Greatest Players list. The eight-time champion, nicknamed the Gineral (a promotion from Tinyente), has took home four PBA Finals MVPs on top of a PBA Best Player of the Conference award in the 2013 Commissioner's Cup. The Gin Kings' senior citizen is also a 10-time PBA All-Star, made the PBA Mythical First Team twice, same number of times in the PBA Mythical Second Team, was part of the PBA All-Rookie Team in 2007, was PBA Comeback Player of the Year in 2024, and was PBA Most Improved Player in 2010.

The third Ginebra stalwart in my list is none other than Jumpin' Japeth Aguilar. Like Tenorio, his former Ateneo teammate has also won a total of eight Jun Bernardino trophies and was named the PBA Finals MVP in the 2019 Governors' Cup. The 6'9" pride of Sasmuan, Pampanga is also a nine-time PBA All-Star, two-time PBA All-Star Game co-MVP, three-time PBA Mythical First Team and two-time PBA Mythical Second Team member, and member of the PBA All-Defensive Team three times.

My fifth entry in this list is none other than the "Tamaraw" Nelson Asaytono. The biggest snub in the 40 Greatest Players list 10 years ago hopefully won't be an afterthought this time around as he's the only player not included who is Top 10 all-time in scoring and that's even the original 25 Greatest Players list included.

The 6'3" dynamo, whose career flourished while donning the colors of Swift and San Miguel, is a seven-time PBA champion, part of the PBA Mythical First Team and PBA Mythical Second Team four times, named PBA Best Player of the Conference twice, a 10-time PBA All-Star, and PBA Scoring Champion in 1997.

Former Toyota, Great Taste, Alaska, Ginebra, and Shell player Arnie Tuadles also made my list and it's not only because he's one of my mom's favorite players (so much so that she named our youngest after the Cebuano player).

The 6'2" small forward won PBA Rookie of the Year in 1979 and made history that year as he was also named to the PBA Mythical Five. He was also part of the PBA Mythical Second Team in 1984 and was adjudged the 1990 Most Outstanding Player by the Sports and Columnist Organization of the Philippines. Tuadles, who tragically died during the heat of a card game in 1996, ranks 20th in the PBA's all-time in scoring list.

The third San Miguel cager in my list is none other than "Dynamite" Danny Siegle. The 6'7" Fil-foreign direct hire was PBA Rookie of the Year in 1999 and eventually led his teams to eight PBA titles. He also won the PBA Finals MVP four times, won the PBA Best Player of the Conference twice, named a PBA All-Star eight times, a three-time member of the PBA Mythical First Team and part of the PBA Mythical Second Team in 2006, and was PBA Comeback Player of the Year in 2006.

Another SMB player that got my nod is Alex Cabagnot as "Captain Crunch" won a total of nine PBA championships, was PBA Finals MVP in the 2017 Commissioner's Cup, was an eight-time PBA All-Star and PBA All-Star Game MVP in 2016, made the PBA Mythical First Team in 2017 as well as included in the PBA Mythical Second Team twice, and was PBA Comeback Player of the Year in 2015.

Not missing the names on my board is none other than "Chairman of the Boards" Abe King. The Toyota (where he formed an imposing frontline with Fernandez), Gold Eagle, Great Taste (where he formed the Royal Brothers with Philip Cesar), and Purefoods mainstay (chief reliever for Patrimonio and Jerry Codinera), won 13 championships in his illustrious 17-year PBA career. He was part of the PBA Mythical First Team in 1982, PBA Mythical Second Team in 1985, and is 10th all-time rebounds with 5,222 boards.

Last but not the least (so I won't be called an Alaska hater) is Bong Hawkins. The 6'3" power forward out of Perpetual Help won eight PBA championships, including the elusive grand slam in 1996 for the Uytengsu franchise. "The Hawk" was PBA Finals Most Valuable Player in the 1996 Commissioner's Cup, made three PBA All-Star games, won PBA Most Improved Player in 1994, was part of the PBA All-Defensive team in 1994, and was named to the PBA Mythical First Team twice and the same number to the PBA Mythical Second Team.

That's my 2 cents folks and I know not everyone will agree with my 50 Greatest Players list, but it's my sports column and you can't do anything about it (short of petitioning the newspaper's owners to kick me out).