June Mar Fajardo winning his record-extending eighth PBA MVP award is both unprecedented and unsurprising. 

Fajardo now has as many PBA MVP awards as the next two multiple MVP award winners in 4-time MVPs and PBA legends Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio combined. He already held a record that looks pretty much unbreakable; now he’s simply elevated himself into legendary status with still enough left in the tank.  

Players are typically named MVPs after dominant seasons, but in Fajardo’s case, he has simply become a steady and reliable presence for the San Miguel Beermen. CJ Perez has turned into a rising star, while the Beermen’s bench has gotten deeper, albeit only slightly younger. All of this would seemingly leave Fajardo with fewer touches, but that was not necessarily the case.

The loaded roster left some potential mismatches, which Fajardo maximized. Sometimes it’s a one-on-one matchup that leads to an easy basket or a putback that catches defenders by surprise. Other times it’s an easy pass out of a double team that leads to a back-breaking 3-pointer. A lot of times, it’s the 10-time PBA champion’s skill simply taking over. 

Fajardo has gained a fanbase because of his accomplishments, but there’s another thing that has endeared him to many: He actually used his height and talent to become a great player. 

The Philippines has had a history of big men playing in the PBA, Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, and even in the now-defunct leagues like the Metropolitan Basketball Association and Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association. Some, like Japeth Aguilar and Marlou Aquino, have carved out long careers, while others did not exactly live up to their potential as big men. 

Moreover, we used to talk about how we are oversized on the international stage and while we still somewhat are, the likes of Fajardo, Kai Sotto, and AJ Edu have given us a fighting chance. If only he was used much better with Gilas Pilipinas (like how Tim Cone has utilized him) even back then. 

There will be those that will continue to point to how the league has catered to Fajardo for the most part, and while playing for SMB has had a hand in his success, the Cebuano still had to work to get to where he is. Add the fact that he had to come back from a few freak and major injuries and you have to give credit where credit is due. 

Besides, for all his achievements and talent, Fajardo is not shy to thank those that have helped him along the way. 

June Mar Fajardo will turn 35 on November 17 and a path to 10 MVP awards is not out of the cards. It certainly helps that the San Miguel Beermen will continue to find ways to reload, much to the dismay of the rest of the PBA and the fans that want more parity in the league. 

Nonetheless, Fajardo remains someone worth rooting for, because at this rate, we may never see a talent dominate like this and age like fine wine.