Day by day, the rumblings surrounding June Mar Fajardo approaching the twilight of his career are getting louder.

He is, after all, turning 35 in November and has had a handful of freak and major injuries in recent years. To add to that, the San Miguel Beermen have continued to lean on their backcourt, with the growth of CJ Perez and the emergence of Jericho Cruz serving as catalysts to SMB’s title run in the 2023-2024 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

But maybe it’s time to put the brakes on those conversations for now.

Fajardo remains at the forefront of the Beermen’s campaign in the 2024 Honda PBA Philippine Cup. Two games in, Fajardo has averaged a double-double and he’s taken advantage of what defenses have given him. Dominant may not be the apt term, but the 10-time PBA champion has nonetheless been unstoppable.

When it comes to rebounds, Fajardo almost always wins his battles and has always been a willing passer. His midrange jumper has been useful in allowing him to unclog the paint and it has helped him as he enters his mid thirties. Sometimes, all San Miguel needs to do is to let Fajardo operate in the post and now, within the elbow. Besides, in the All-Filipino conference, who can stop him?

Fajardo is usually at his best in the Philippine Cup, where he pretty much towers over everyone. Some will say the All-Filipino conference is geared towards, but you can’t hate on the nine-time PBA Best Player of the Conference making the most out of his situation. After all, there have been some big men as tall or even taller than Fajardo who have tried but failed to make an impact in the Philippine Cup the way Fajardo has.

Right now, Fajardo’s taking things easy as he continues to work his way back to 100 percent from a calf injury, which also forced the Cebuano to miss the first qualifying window of the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup. It was actually a blessing in disguise that SMB had a later start to their All-Filipino conference, something that technically comes as a perk for emerging as champions in the last conference. Rather than miss games, the longer recovery period allowed Fajardo to join his teammates from the jump. In a league where conferences are short, that could prove to be crucial.

We’re at the point where we have to appreciate June Mar Fajardo’s greatness as a basketball player, but at the same time, the end isn’t so near yet. He may be taken for granted with how he at times makes things look easy, but let’s not forget that it’s not everyday we see great players like him.