So, the Ramon Fernandez Trophy has already been revealed.
A couple of hours after its revelation, its first winner was also decided — unanimously — by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Press Corps, which has been handing out the Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the past 30 years.
The elegant 19-inch trophy went to none other than San Miguel Beer big man June Mar Fajardo.
The 6-foot-10 behemoth saved the best for last as he tallied a conference-high 29 points on top of 23 rebounds, two assists and three stocks (two steals and a block) in the Beermen’s 92-77 win in Game 6 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday. With that, the Beermen were able to retain their Philippine Cup title in the league’s 50th season, which is also their eighth all-Filipino crown in the last 11 seasons.
On any other Sunday, Rodney Brondial or CJ Perez would have probably won the Finals MVP. But not on that particular Sunday as former PBA Press Corps president Tito Talao had aptly said.
The great Ramon Fernandez — the league’s first four-time MVP with the most number of championships at 19, one of the Greatest Players and still the all-time leader in scoring (18,996), defensive rebounds (6,435), total rebounds (8,652), blocks (1,853), free throws made (3,848), and minutes played (36,624) — was also present in Game 6, making it possible for him to hand for the first time the trophy deservingly named in his honor to Fajardo.
From one GOAT (greatest of all time) to another. From Cebuano to Cebuano. From a legend of his generation to the acknowledged legend of this current crop of PBA pros.
Aside from winning his 12th championship and the first Fernandez Trophy, it was indeed a historic night for Fajardo as he also notched a record fifth PBA Finals MVP, breaking an erstwhile tie with LA Tenorio, James Yap and Danny Seigle, and even moved past Jerry Codiñera (7,034) into No. 3 in the league’s all-time total rebounding ladder as his 23 rebounds increased his total to 7,040.
Only Fernandez himself and two-time MVP Alberto Guidaben (8,570) have more rebounds than Fajardo in the league’s 50-year history.
Fate. Destiny. Or simply God’s will.
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When Fernandez guested in former PBA commissioner Noli Eala’s Power & Play show a couple of Saturdays ago, among the questions he was asked, aside from his thoughts about the trophy in his name and many other topics, was which other PBA superstar or legend also deserves to have something like an award or trophy named in his honor.
Without batting an eyelash, Fernandez’s answer was Sonny Jaworski.
The PBA’s perpetual Philippine Cup trophy is named in honor of former Commissioner Emilio “Jun” Bernardino, the Best Import Trophy in seven-time winner Bobby Parks’ name and its Sportsmanship Award in Avelino “Samboy” Lim.
Aside from the Finals MVP trophy now in Fernandez’s name, the PBA Press Corps has the Baby Dalupan Trophy for its Coach of the Year award, the Danny Floro Trophy for its Executive of the Year and the William “Bogs” Adornado Trophy for the Comeback Player of the Year in its season-ending Awards Night.
What award or trophy is best for Jaworski? At a recent postgame pow-wow, a couple of sportswriters suggested naming the PBA All-Star Game MVP Trophy after Jaworski.
Jaworski, after all, has been the star among its long line of stars for many generations now. And who can forget his game-winning assist to Fernandez in the historic first PBA All-Star Game when the event was institutionalized in 1989?
The next PBA All-Star Game on 8 March in Candon City, Ilocos Sur will also be played on the very same day Jaworski turns 80 years old.
But of course, it’s the PBA’s call.
Fidel Mangonon III is a highly-respected Filipino sports statistician and data manager, columnist, editor and sportswriter, and is best known as the Head of Statistics of the Philippine Basketball Association since 1996.
He is a prominent figure in Philippine sports media, starting as a sports magazine writer in 1991 before writing for many newspapers and sports websites that cover mostly basketball.
He is also the first licensed FIBA statistics instructor and served as the head of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Statistics Group from 2011 to 2024.