I still remember the buzz surrounding the 2017 PBA season like it was yesterday—the electric atmosphere in arenas, the heated debates among fans, and that lingering question everyone kept asking: who would claim the coveted MVP title? As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've witnessed numerous standout performances, but what June Mar Fajardo achieved that season was something truly extraordinary. The man didn't just win games; he redefined dominance in a way we hadn't seen since the legendary Ramon Fernandez era.
When the final votes were tallied, Fajardo secured his fourth consecutive MVP award with 2,427 points—a staggering margin of nearly 800 points over his closest competitor. What makes this particularly impressive is that he achieved this while missing several games due to injury, yet still putting up numbers that would make most healthy players blush. I've always believed that true greatness reveals itself not just in statistics but in how a player elevates their team, and Fajardo embodied this perfectly. His San Miguel Beermen finished with a 9-2 record in the elimination round of the Philippine Cup, largely because opponents simply had no answer for his combination of size and skill.
Watching Fajardo operate in the paint was like observing a master craftsman at work. He averaged 18.3 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks during the season—numbers that don't fully capture his impact. I recall specifically a game against Ginebra where he recorded 28 points and 20 rebounds while being double-teamed throughout. His footwork in the post was so refined that defenders knew what was coming but still couldn't stop it. There's this particular move he developed—a quick spin off the left shoulder into a baby hook—that became virtually unguardable. What many casual observers miss is how his dominance created opportunities elsewhere. Defenses collapsing on Fajardo left shooters like Marcio Lassiter wide open from beyond the arc, and the Beermen capitalized on this relentlessly.
The interesting parallel I've noticed, and this connects to our reference about Mendiola's program stepping up its game, is how Fajardo's individual excellence reflects a broader trend in Philippine basketball. Just as programs are elevating their development systems, we're seeing players like Fajardo benefit from more sophisticated training methods and strategic coaching. His transformation from a raw talent into a polished superstar mirrors how the entire basketball ecosystem is evolving. I've spoken with several coaches who confirmed that Fajardo's work ethic became the gold standard—arriving first at practices, staying late to work on free throws, and constantly studying game footage to identify weaknesses in his opponents.
What truly separated Fajardo's 2017 campaign from other great seasons was his performance in clutch moments. During the Commissioner's Cup finals against TNT, with the series tied 2-2, he delivered 28 points and 15 rebounds in the crucial Game 5 victory. I remember thinking during that game—this isn't just physical dominance, but mental fortitude of the highest order. The pressure of expectation could have crushed a lesser player, but Fajardo seemed to thrive under it. His ability to maintain focus during critical possessions, combined with his improved passing out of double teams, demonstrated a basketball IQ that had reached elite levels.
The legacy of that 2017 season extends beyond trophies and statistics. Fajardo's dominance forced other teams to rethink their entire approach to team building. Suddenly, every franchise was searching for their own version of a dominant big man, sparking what I like to call the "center renaissance" in the PBA. We saw teams investing more in developing local big men rather than relying solely on imports—a strategic shift that has made the league more competitive in recent years. Personally, I believe this evolution traces back to Fajardo's unprecedented run of excellence, particularly during that 2017 campaign where he seemed to solve every defensive scheme thrown at him.
Reflecting on that season now, what stands out most isn't just the numbers or the awards, but how Fajardo's dominance represented a perfect storm of individual talent, systematic development, and strategic utilization. The way programs like Mendiola are stepping up their game today owes something to the standard Fajardo set during that remarkable 2017 season. He didn't just win his fourth MVP—he demonstrated what's possible when extraordinary talent meets relentless work ethic, setting a benchmark that continues to influence how Philippine basketball develops talent to this day. The truth is, we may not see another dominant run like it for quite some time, which makes appreciating what we witnessed that much more special.
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