Fajardo nears 9th MVP award

Top performers in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 49 will be honored in the annual Leo Awards today at the Novotel Manila in Araneta Center.

June Mar Fajardo leads the nominees for the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the awarding ceremony beginning at 3:30 p.m.

The 6-foot-10 San Miguel Beer center is gunning for a record-extending ninth MVP trophy but NLEX’s Robert Bolick and NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino are out to spoil his reign.

However, Fajardo, winner of the 2024-2025 Governors’ Cup and Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference honors, is ahead in statistical points (sps) with 42.1.

Trailing behind the 35-year-old Fajardo, who helped the Beermen reclaim the Philippine Cup title by spoiling TNT’s grand slam bid, is Bolick with 36.7 sps while Commissioner’s Cup BPC Tolentino has 35.3 sps.

Statistical Points carry a weight of 45 percent, while votes from the media and players are at 30 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

The three players are also nominated in the selection for the First and Second Mythical Teams along with Japeth Aguilar, Justin Arana, Xavier Lucero, Calvin Oftana, Jason Perkins, RJ Abarrientos, Sedrick Barefield, Stephen Holt, Joshua Munzon, Rey Nambatac, Chris Newsome, Adrian Nocum, CJ Perez, Roger Pogoy, Alec Stockton, Scottie Thompson and Deschon Winston.

The Rookie of the Year award is contested by Blackwater’s Barefield (27.0 sps), Ginebra’s Abarrientos (25.6), Caelan Tiongson of Rain or Shine (22.3), Kai Ballungay of Phoenix (20.1), and Meralco’s CJ Cansino (18.1).

Season 49 top rookie pick Justin Baltazar of Converge didn’t qualify after failing to see action in at least 70 percent of the team’s total games.

Munzon of Northport, Lucero of Magnolia, Nocum of Rain or Shine, Winston of Converge, and Louie Sangalang of Terrafirma are crowding each other for the Most Improved Player Award, while a total of 34 nominees are in the running for the All-Defensive Team led by Fajardo.