The Top 15 PBA Most Valuable Players of All-Time

PBA or Philippine Basketball Association is the first professional basketball association in Asia. It was established in 1975 and has produced a number of Most Valuable Players or MVP since then. As in any other professional basketball association, the basis of saying if a player is really good is by means of the MVP awards he achieved.

 Ramon Fernandez

Ramon Fernandez

“The greatest basketball player and the best and most revolutionary PBA center ever”

Height: 6’ 5”

Position played: Center, Power Forward

Jersey: 10, 19

Known as: El Presidente, The Franchise

Born: October 3, 1953

Place of birth: Maasin, Southern Leyte

College: University of San Carlos

Team: Toyota, Manila Beer, Tanduay, Purefoods and San Miguel Beer

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

4 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988

19 PBA championships

PBA All-time scoring leader – 18,996 points

PBA All-time leader in rebound and blocked shots

PBA All-time second in assist and steals

4-time PBA All-Star

13-time Mythical First Team Selection

3-time Mythical Second Team Selection

PBA Hall of Fame member

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Alvin Patrimonio

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Alvin Patrimonio

“One of eight players to play at least 800 games”

Height: 6 ft. 3 in.

Position played: Small Forward, Power Forward

Jersey: 16

Known as: The Captain and Captain Lionheart

Born: November 17, 1966

Place of birth: Quezon City, Philippines

College: Mapua Institute of Technology

Team: Purefoods TJ Hotdogs

Occupation: Team Manager – Purefoods team

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

Holds PBA’s most consecutive games played – 596 games

4 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 1991, 1993, 1994, 1997

10-time PBA All-Star

10 Mythical First Team Selections

1991 PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player

PBA Hall of Fame member

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

William Adornado

William Adornado

“One of the Best Filipino Basketball Players of All-time”

Height: 6'2" (187 cm)

Position played: Small Forward

Jersey: 11

Known as: Bogs, Mr. Nice Guy

Born: May 26, 1951

Place of birth: Legazpi City, Albay

College: University of Santo Tomas

Team: Crispa, U-Tex, Great Taste, Shell and Hills Bros

Occupation: Assistant coach

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

10-time PBA Champion

3 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 1975, 1976, 1981

7-time Mythical First Team Selection

5-time PBA Scoring Leader

Member PBA Hall of Fame

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Alberto Guidaben

Alberto Guidaben

Height: 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

Position played: Center, Power Forward

Jersey: 5 (14, 23, 32, 41)

Known as: Abet

Place of birth: Bulacan, Philippines

College: University of San Jose-Recoletos

Team: Crispa Redmanizers, San Miguel Beer, Manila Beer, Tanduay, Purefoods, Alaska, Pepsi and Shell

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

2 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 1983, 1987

3 PBA All-Star

5 PBA Mythical First Team

All-time Leader in most games played with 1,081

No. 1 in offensive rebounds with 2,373

No. 2 leading scorer with 15,775 points

No. 2 in total rebounds with 8,570

No. 2 in defensive rebounds with 6,197

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Benjie Paras

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Venancio Johnson Paras, Jr.

“The only PBA player to win both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors, in a single season”

Height: 6 ft. 5 in.

Position played: Center

Jersey: 14

Known as: Benjie, Tower of Power

Born: October 2, 1968

Place of birth: Baguio City, Philippines

College: University of the Philippines

Team: Shell

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

2 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 1989, 1999

5-time PBA Mythical First Team

3-time PBA Mythical Second Team

8-time PBA All-Star

2-time PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player

Rookie of the year – 1989

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Danny Ildefonso

Danilo Ildeponso

“The youngest player ever drafted in the PBA”

Height: 6 ft. 6 in.

Position played: Center/Forward

Jersey: 10

Known as: Danny I, The Demolition Man

Born: December 9, 1976

Place of birth: Urdaneta City, Philippines

College: National University

PBL: Agfa

Team: Petron Blazer Boosters, Formula Shell, San Miguel Beermen

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

2 PBA Most Valuable Player – 2000, 2001

PBA Rookie of the Year 1998

2 PBA Mythical First Team

3 PBA Mythical Second Team

PBA All-Star Most Valuable Player – 2001

Willie Miller

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Willie V. Miller, Jr.

Height: 5 ft. 11 in.

Position played: Shooting Guard, Point Guard

Jersey: 11, 13

Known as: The Thriller

Born: July 13, 1977

Place of birth: Olongapo City, Philippines

College: Colegio de San Juan de Letran

PBL: Tanduay

MBA: Nueva Ecija Patriots

Team: Batang Red Bull Thunder, Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals, Alaska, Barangay Ginebra

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

2 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 2002, 2007

9-Time PBA All-Star

3 PBA Mythical First Selection

3 PBA Mythical Second Selection

 James Yap

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James Carlos Yap Sr.

Height: 6 ft. 2 in.

Position played: Swingman (Small Forward/Shooting Guard)

Jersey: 18

Known as: King James, Big Game James, The Man with a Million Moves, Big Daddy James, Boy Thunder

Born: February 15, 1982

Place of birth: Escalante City, Negros Occidental

College: University of the East

Team: B-Meg Llamados, Purefoods TJ Hotdogs

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

2 PBA Most Valuable Player awards – 2006, 2010

PBA All-star 3-point shootout champion - 2009

2 PBA Mythical First Selection

2 PSA Player of the Year (pro basketball) – 2006, 2010

Robert Jaworski

Robert Salazar Jaworski

“One of the Greatest Filipino Basketball Player of All-Time”

Height: 6 ft. 1 in.

Position played: Point Guard

Jersey: 7

Known as: Jawo, Bobby, Sonny, The Big J, The Living Legend

Born: March 8, 1946

Place of birth: Baguio City, Philippines 

College: University of the East

Team: Toyota, Ginebra San Miguel

Occupation: Politician, coach

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player award – 1978

PBA first ever playing coach – 1985

6 PBA Mythical First Team

2 PBA Mythical Second Team

2 PBA All-Defensive Team

4-time PBA All-Star

Finished his career with 5,825 career assists

PBA Hall of Fame member

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All Time

Allan Caidic

Alan Vito Flores Caidic

“The greatest shooter the country has ever produced”

“One of the best three-point shooters in Asia”

Height: 6 ft. 2 in.

Position played: Small Forward/Shooting Guard

Jersey: 8

Known as: Triggerman

Born: June 15, 1963

Place of birth: Pasig City, Philippines

College: University of the East

Team: Great Taste, Barangay Giinebra

Occupation: Assistant coach

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player Award - 1990

PBA Rookie of the Year – 1987

PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player – 1993

6 PBA Mythical First Team

2 PBA Mythical Second Team

PBA all-time records—including the most points scored in a single game (79 points)

PBA all-time most three-point field goals made in a single game (17 triples)

PBA all-time most three-point field goals in a career (1,242 triples)

PBA all-time most consecutive free throws in a row (76)

PBA Hall of Fame member

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Vergel Meneses

Vergel Meneses

“The most talented player ever to play in the PBA “

Height: 6 ft. 3 in.

Position played: Shooting Guard/Small Forward

Jersey:

Also known as: The Aerial Voyager

Born: January 14, 1969

Place of birth: Malolos City, Bulacan

College: Jose Rizal College

Team: Presto, Sta. Lucia, Ginebra, Swift, FedEx, Red Bull, Talk ‘N Text

Occupation:

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player award – 1995

2 PBA Mythical First Team – 1994, 1995

1 PBA Mythical Second Team – 1993

1 PBA Most Improved Player – 1993

2-time PBA Slam Dunk Champion – 1992, 1993

4 PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player – 1995, 1998, 2000, 2003

10 PBA All-Star

Member of the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players

Atoy Co

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Fortunato Co, Jr.

“A sweet-shooting basketball player”

Height: 6’2”

Position played: Small Forward/Shooting Guard

Jersey: 6, 60, 1

Known as: Fortune Cookie

Place of birth:  Philippines

College: Mapua Institute of Technology

Team: Crispa Redmanizers, Great Taste

Occupation: Actor, Politician

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player – 1979

9 PBA Mythical First Team

PBA Hall of Fame member

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Kenneth Duremdes

Kenneth Duremdes

"One of the most Prolific but controversial PBA players"

Height: 6 ft. 3 in.

Position played: Small Forward/Shooting Guard

Jersey: 19

Known as: Captain Marvel

Born: January 31, 1974

Place of birth: Koronadal City, South Cotabato

College: Adamson University

Team: Sunkist, Alaska, Sta. Lucia, Coca-Cola

Occupation: Coach

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player - 1998

2 PBA Mythical First Team

PBA Most Improved Player – 1997

PBA Mythical Second Team

PBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player – 1996

9 PBA All-Star Games

PBA's 500 Three-Point Club Member

PBA's 25 Greatest Players Member

Philip Cezar

Philip Cezar

“The very first one-on-one champion of the PBA”

Height: 6 ft. 3 in.

Position played: Power Forward/Center

Jersey: 18

Known as: The Scholar, Tapal King

Born: December 1, 1951

College: Jose Rizal College

Team: Crispa Redmanizer, Great Taste, Shell, Ginebra

Occupation: Coach, Politician

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player – 1980

7 PBA Mythical First Team – 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1987

2 PBA Mythical Second Team – 1984, 1985

4 PBA Best Defensive Team – 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988

2 PBA All-Star Games

PBA Hall of Fame member

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

Ricky Brown

Ricardo Vidal Brown

“First Filipino-American to play in the PBA and the First Filipino American to win the PBA MVP award”

Height: 6 ft. 1 in.

Position played: Point Guard

Jersey: 23

Born: May 22, 1957

Birth place: California, USA

College: De La Salle University

Team: Great Taste, San Miguel Beermen

Occupation: Actor, School Principal

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player - 1985

PBA Rookie of the Year – 1983

5 PBA Mythical First Team – 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988

PBA Mythical Second Team - 1987

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

*Johnny Abarrientos

Johnny Abarrientos

“The smallest PBA player to win the Most Valuable Player Award”

Height: 5 ft. 7 in.

Position played: Point Guard

Jersey: 14

Known as: The Flying A

Born: July 17, 1970

Birth place: Naga City, Philippines

College: Far eastern University

Team: Alaska, Pop Cola, Coca-Cola, Barangay Ginebra

Occupation: Coach

PBA Accomplishments/Records:

PBA Most Valuable Player – 1996

PBA All Time Leaders in Steals – 1,302

12-Time PBA Champion

6 PBA Mythical First Team – 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999

5 PBA All-Defensive Team – 1994, 1996, 1997, 2004

PBA Mythical Second Team

Member PBA 25 Greatest Players of All-Time

See also

Top 15 Tallest Filipino BasketballPlayers

The 15 Shortest Living People in the World

12 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time