Sky’s the limit for JuneMar
San Miguel Beer’s JuneMar Fajardo is only 25 years old and has just completed his third season in the PBA. He was the league’s first overall draft pick in 2012 but didn’t win Best Rookie honors as the award went to Alaska’s Calvin Abueva. It took a few coaching changes at San Miguel before Fajardo found himself in the PBA Finals twice this season and he made the most out of each opportunity to bag a title.
In the Philippine Cup, San Miguel beat Alaska in a seven-game grind, clinching the crown via an 80-78 decision in Game 7. The Beermen were down 0-1 and 1-2 in the series before coach Leo Austria pocketed his first-ever PBA title. Fajardo compiled 14 points and 17 rebounds in Game 1, 15 and 12 in Game 2, 13 and 9 in Game 3, 11 and 11 in Game 4, 19 and 13 in Game 5, 9 and 13 in Game 6 and 21 and 25 in Game 7.
In the Governors Cup that ended last Friday, the Beermen took the plum once more at Alaska’s expense. This time, San Miguel broomed the Aces out of contention. Fajardo collected 18 points and 17 boards in Game 1, 16 and 14 in Game 2, 14 and 19 in Game 3 and 19 and 21 in Game 4. There was no question who deserved the MVP award for the year. Fajardo won it hands-down and also claimed the Sportsmanship Award. He was named to the Mythical First and the All-Defensive Fives.
Fajardo gained a lot of experience and confidence playing for Gilas at the FIBA World Cup in Spain last year. He never got to play against his idol, Spain’s Marc Gasol. Fajardo would’ve faced Gasol if only Gilas made it to the second round and the Philippines came so tantalizing close to arrange the duel with the host nation. But there will be another time, another chance. Fajardo waited two years and six conferences before playing in the PBA Finals. He’s not impatient. Sooner or later, his time will come to shine on the global stage.
The sky’s the limit for the Kraken and he’s only scratching the surface of what he could become in the future. Fajardo is maturing into a big man who doesn’t only rely on his size to make plays but also on his agility and intelligence. He’s developed a medium-range, turnaround shot and a fadeaway out of the post position. Fajardo can back down any defender, even imports and has the guile to outsmart anyone. He doesn’t force the issue. If there’s a shot available, he won’t hesitate to take it. But if the door is shut, he also won’t hesitate to pass. Fajardo has the makings of a Filipino version of Hakeem Olajuwon or Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who were both more finesse than power centers. He may never spin away quite like Hakeem on the low block or throw up a skyhook like Kareem but could surely work his way to approximate their ability.
What makes Fajardo special is his humility. He’s on the way to becoming one of the most dominant big men in PBA history and it’s not getting to his head. Fajardo knows that he wouldn’t be where he is today if not for his coach, teammates, the support of San Miguel management and fans.
Late last year, I spoke with Fajardo when he joined Austria as guests at the Inkblots National Campus Journalism Fellowship in UST. Here are quotes from my conversation with the twotime MVP:
“I do what’s best for the team. I want everyone on our team to be happy, not just me. I’d rather get a championship than any individual award so everybody gets a bonus, including our ball boys. It’s not about me. It’s about the whole team. If my teammates don’t pass to me, then I don’t get to do what I’m supposed to.
“In basketball, it’s not just height. You can be small and play a big role. It’s important to be self-confident, dapat boo ang loob. For a team to succeed, there must be chemistry. You have to trust your teammates and of course, yourself.
“When I was a boy, I wasn’t really interested in basketball. My parents wanted me to get a good education so they thought of basketball as a way for me to earn a scholarship in college. I started to grow so it was natural for me to play basketball. I wanted to keep learning, keep improving. The key is never be satisfied. I persisted, I was patient. When I’m finished playing basketball, I’d like to go back to the province and live a quiet life, maybe, do farming and continue to help my family.
“God is the reason for everything. I put Him in the center of my life and of course, my family. Never forget the people who helped you. Even if you don’t see them often, make it a point to thank them when you can so they know you remember what they did for you.
“I hope to end my career with San Miguel. I’ll never leave San Miguel. Ever since, San Miguel has been my favorite team and the favorite team of my family. In the PBA, one of my toughest matchups is Beau Belga who’s physical and strong. There are players who try to play me physical to get me out of my game. I know what they’re trying to do so I just focus on my game and not let them affect me. What I need to improve on is my perimeter shooting. I realize that in international competition, I just can’t post up and expect to dominate. Players are bigger than me so I have to work on extending my range and doing things to gain an advantage. I know I have to be quicker, that means running more and trying to keep pace.
“Don’t be content to be just an average player. You must want to learn, to work hard. Be openminded, listen to advice, improve, absorb, apply and learn from experience.”
Austria said his goal is to make Fajardo a complete package. “JuneMar is a very shy guy,” he said. “He told me once he gets more nervous when he’s being interviewed by media than playing in a game. I want him to be more familiar with media, to be comfortable in answering questions from reporters. I think he’ll be a household name as a basketball star for years so he has to be ready to deal with being popular.”