Austria not rushing Fajardo
Leo Austria vows to be patient as June Mar Fajardo has yet to join their group practices with a little more than a month before the start of the 46th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
The noted San Miguel Beer coach said Fajardo is not yet expected to return as he is still recovering from a gruesome shin injury that he sustained weeks before the start of the Philippine Cup last year.
He said Fajardo is not yet training, but he is expected to be in good shape when the league opens its season in April.
“June Mar is still recovering, but I’m not yet in panic mode. I’m confident that he will be with us very soon,” said Austria, who steered the Beermen to a quarterfinal finish without Fajardo last year.
“Knowing June Mar, I’m sure he will pick up quickly once he gets back on the court.”
With Fajardo still on the road to recovery, the Beermen had been very active in the off-season. Their biggest acquisition was CJ Perez, the top overall pick in the 2018 Rookie Draft whom they tabbed from Terrafirma.
“The practices were all individual at the moment, but from what I can see in CJ’s performance so far, he’s very observant and dedicated,” Austria said. “He’s trying to figure out what kind of team we are and he’s really trying his best to jell with the players as well as the coaches.” Still, replacing Fajardo will not be easy. “June Mar, as we all know, is really a big help to any team and we would be a force to be reckoned with when he comes back next season,” said Austria, adding that they are not entertaining trade offers at the moment. “I’m also excited t see how CJ and June Mar will play alongside each other. I’m sure they will complement the strength of each other.”