June Mar Fajardo could only shake his head after his first encounter with Bol Bol in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.

It wasn’t just that San Miguel Beer suffered a stinging 92-118 setback to TNT Tropang Giga. Fajardo’s disbelief came from a rare reality check delivered by the taller, more athletic, and highly skilled Sudanese-American import.

For the past decade, Fajardo has been the gold standard of Philippine basketball. Towering at 6-foot-10 with a feathery touch from the perimeter, wide body and elite footwork, Fajardo has ruled the league with an iron hand, hauling in a record nine Most Valuable Player titles while leading the Beermen to eight of the last 11 Philippine Cup crowns.

The Beermen and the Tropang Giga are two of the best teams in the all-Filipino after clashing in three of the last four Philippine Cup Finals. In those battles, Fajardo was an immovable force, bullying his defenders from Kelly Williams to Poy Erram and Henry Galinato.

But on Saturday, a different kind of Tropang Giga showed up.

With the 7-foot-3 Bol terrorizing the paint, Fajardo found it difficult to impose his will. The former National Basketball Association standout proved to be a defensive nightmare, running the floor, knocking down triples, and swatting shots like a giant gazelle.

While Fajardo finished with his usual double-double of 15 points and 20 rebounds, Bol’s line was superior, posting 34 points, 18 rebounds, and a block that underscored his dominance on both ends of the floor.

Bol’s presence is a breath of fresh air for the PBA. It’s not about wanting to see our local icons getting humbled; it’s about the massive impact an elite talent like Bol will make on the development of the Filipino brand of basketball.

Let’s admit it, no matter how beloved he is at home, Fajardo is not as dominant in the international arena. Yes, he plays like a hungry wolf in the PBA but in various International Basketball Federation tournaments, Fajardo turns into a meek lamb as he failed to stand his ground against the likes of Nikola Jokic of Serbia and Karl-Anthony Towns of Dominican Republic in their previous meetings.

Having an opponent like Bol — who can easily do whatever he wants with basketball — will definitely sharpen Fajardo’s game. This level of competition is vital as he prepares to make his last hurrah before passing the torch to the next generation of bigs like Kai Sotto, Carl Tamayo, AJ Edu and Quentin Millora-Brown.

The PBA needs more imports like Bol. The league needs guest players who can challenge our local stars to upgrade their skills, benefiting not just their respective clubs but the national team program as well.

If a nine-time MVP like Fajardo can be given a wake-up call, imagine the growth potential these foreign players will give to the rest of the Gilas Pilipinas core.

Indeed, the “Bol Effect” is in full bloom, and our local basketball community is taking notice.