Fajardo poised for 8th MVP plum

June Mar Fajardo downplays talks about him winning another Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.

However, the statistical points (SPs) he collected in the previous season point towards that direction: an eighth highest individual plum for the league’s premier big man.

The winner of the coveted honor will be named in the Leo Awards today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum starting at 4 p.m. before the Season 49 Governors’ Cup kicks off.

Six-foot-10 Fajardo leads the race with a stellar performance in Season 48, amassing 42.1 statistical points. He averaged of 17.8 points, a league-best 13.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game.

“Happy that I’m included in the MVP. Of course, happy for the one who’ll win it,” Fajardo said.

Fajardo helped San Miguel win the Commissioner’s Cup crown and a runner-up finish in the Philippine Cup, where he claimed a record ninth Best Player of the Conference award.

Asked if he sees himself winning another MVP, Fajardo played coy.

“Well, I don’t know. But if it’s me I’ll gladly accept it,” he said.

Former Barangay Ginebra San Miguel forward Christian Standhardinger is closely behind Fajardo with 37.8 SPs. The now Terrafirma star had an average of 19.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists last season.

Fajardo’s teammate CJ Perez is at the third spot with 37.4 SPs with norms of 18.9 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.9 steals.

Stephen Holt, whom Terrafirma traded to Ginebra during the offseason, is leading by a mile in the Rookie of the Year race.

The Filipino-American, selected No. 1 overall by the Dyip in last year’s Draft, earned 34.1 sps with averages of 17.0 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.9 steals in his maiden season.

Holt, who is No. 6 in the MVP race, towed Terrafirma to its first-ever playoffs stint in eight years during the Philippine Cup.

Lagging behind Holt is Northport’s Cade Flores with 23.3 SPs.

Also to be honored are members of two Mythical Team selections, All-Defensive Team, Most Improved Player, and the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award.