I think 15 years ago, I made some sort of vanity project wherein I listed down my 100 Best PBA Careers of All-Time.
I say “careers” because saying the “greatest” has its pros and cons. One “con” is that I value historical stats and try to give bonus points to the pioneers. Also, we have our favorite players, so the “greatest” tag is also going to measure a legend’s fandom and while it’s easy to rate the awesomeness of Robert Jaworski, Alvin Patrimonio, James Yap, Hector Calma, and Samboy Lim on top of this category, it might not be the case for a Ginebra hater, a San Miguel troll, and a Purefoods critic.
Or a U/Tex Wrangler?
I lowkey love their jerseys.
Also, I made this list by researching their stats and making 300 players duke it out. When I first made this list in the mid-2000s in the www.hoops.blink.ph website, it had the likes of Jun Papa, Ompong Segura, Bal David, Rey Cuenco, Larry Mumar, Marte Saldana, Rudy Kutch, Andy Seigle, Elmer Cabahug, Boybits Victoria, Willie Pearson, Roger Yap, Dondon Ampalayo, Rene Canent, Wynne Arboleda, Mick Pennisi, Noy Castillo, Vince Hizon, Pido Jarencio, Chris Jackson, and Yoyong Martirez. When I made the current version of this list, I considered a couple of names that are still playing like CJ Perez, Ian Sangalang, Jeff Chan, Solomon Mercado, Poy Erram, and Chris Newsome.
Spoiler alert, these guys never made the list.
Unlike my first Best Careers list, I have gotten hold of the career averages of the PBA legends from 1975 up until the present. I know their best seasons and their worst seasons as well. When I created my list back then, I zeroed in on the players I wanted to make the list. With that said, I had LA Tenorio at number 88 then.
LA Tenorio is going to be a lot higher on this list.
If you remember PBFantasy, the PBA-based fantasy game from the mid-2000s, I created a stat equivalent that is somewhat similar to its grading system. Points are 1.25, rebounds are 1.5, assists are 2, steals are 2.5, and blocks are 2.75. I gave points an additional .25 because an okay PBA season average is more or less, seven points per game. Meanwhile, I gave an additional 0.25 points on blocks because except for an elite few, swatting shots in the PBA is an extremely monumental task.
In terms of other categories, I considered the MVP, Mythical Team selection, BPC, Finals MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, All-Star MVP, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player, 40 Greatest Players list, scoring titles, championships, and grand slams. I also gave away phantom Mythical points for the players who were Top 15 in my tabulation from 1975 up until 1983 – or the times the league didn’t have the Mythical Second Team selection.
I also considered the milestones and the games played. I never needed to put extra points other than the phantom pioneer points, but I am going to create a mini-tourney for the top players within a particular range (91 to 100, 81 to 90, etc.) based on the number of individual awards they accumulated. The players with an MVP, BPC, Mythical First Team, Mythical Second Team, and Finals MVP will have an advantage (in that order.) For example, if the number 100 guy and the number 99 guy had two individual awards, the one with the BPC would trump the one with the Finals MVP award (since the BPC covered more conference scope than the Finals MVP.) If there is still a deadlock, then the number of championships they won will come into play.
And oh yeah, I almost forgot. Instead of writing why they are on this list, I am going to write about why they are RANKED THIS LOW on the list. I made this change so the blog wouldn’t get too wordy and you probably know why these legends are in this place in the first place. The most obvious red flags are the pioneer’s curse, injury bugs, low overall stats, limited amounts of awards and championships, journeyman status causing statistical decline, and even off-court antics.
So it’s time to dive headfirst on this list. If you have violent reactions, you can just share it with your friends to say what an utter moron I am. But here’s the thing – this is my list... and you can make yours if you want... and I will respect it.
The game starts now.
20 | RICARDO BROWN
1983 – 1990 | DIRECT HIRE – GREAT TASTE
AVERAGES: 23.1PPG – 3.4RPG – 7.3APG – 0.8SPG – 340 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7800 POINTS – 1100 REBOUNDS – 2400 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
5-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
3-TIME SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
8-TIME CHAMPION
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (SAN MIGUEL)
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Drafted 59th overall, ahead of notable players like Detroit legend Bill Laimbeer, Greek sensation Nikos Galis, and PBA legendary import Norman Black in the 1979 NBA Draft, Ricardo Brown is undeniably one of the best Filipino Americans to play in the PBA. In fact, the Pepperdine product is the first Fil-Am to win Rookie of the Year and a Mythical Team selection in 1983 and most importantly, the MVP award in 1985. Brown possessed a remarkable scoring ability, adept playmaking skills, and was a tenacious defender. The Quick Brown Fox's scoring average of 23.1 points per game remains the highest in the all-time list and the same can be said with his assist average of 7.3 per game.
Brown started his career with Great Taste and played mostly under the tutelage of Baby Dalupan. In his five seasons with the squad, Brown averaged 24.8 points and 8.1 assists. He also led the Coffee Makers to two almost grand slams (or consecutive championships) from 1984 to 1985. The PBA doesn't see the grand slam honor in that situation that's why we don't regard their feat as much as the other "real" grand slam feats. Furthermore, Brown only played in the league for eight seasons, and this sucks in some ways because he always delivered the goods, winning six Mythical Team selections as evidence. While his San Miguel numbers fail in comparison to his GTC stats, at least Brown is recognized as part of the 1989 SMB Grand Slam squad despite playing in just 20 games.
19 | MARK CAGUIOA
2001 – 2020 | 2001 PBA DRAFT – GINEBRA – 3RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 13.6PPG – 4.4RPG – 2.1APG – 0.7SPG – 742 GAMES
MILESTONES: 10000 POINTS – 3200 REBOUNDS – 1500 ASSISTS – 500 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
3-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
9-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
It was the year 2001 and the Fil-Ams weren't as great as they once were. The Fil-Shams have ruined the game for the real ones and it didn't help their cause when the locals have vowed to protect their means of income. Worse, the mystique of the Fil-Ams has worn off as fans and team owners have grown to know that just because a player attended an NCAA Division I school, doesn't mean that they are going to take the PBA by storm.
And this is where Mark Caguioa comes in. In a draft that had the likes of MBA stars like Willie Miller and Fil-Ams like Mike Hrabak and John Arigo ruled, PBA fans had "who the hell" looks when the then-blonde guard got the third pick of the 2001 PBA Draft. Not only did Mark Caguioa defy his naysayers, but he is often seen by Ginebra fans as the 2000s version of Robert Jaworski. Like The Big J, The Spark loved to trash talk and make threats like "running naked" if he lost a game, etcetera. But Caguioa is not just all words, as he, alongside Bandanna Brother Jayjay Helterbrand, Eric Menk, Romel Adducul, Ronald Tubid, Sunday Salvacion, and Rodney Santos was able to give Ginebra championships even before the arrival of Tim Cone. While doing so, Caguioa was able to reap the rewards. Aside from winning an MVP in 2012, The Spark is a three-time BPC, five-time Mythical Teamer, and a two-time scoring champion. For 12 conferences, The Spark averaged in double figures.
Mark Caguioa got to reach the 10,000-point mark, but it would have been faster if you think about it had not for his injuries. Also, I know he already had an established career but everything changed the moment Tim Cone arrived in Ginebra. The Spark went from flamboyant star guard to elder statesman, with his minutes dropping from 20 to 10 in an instant. Caguioa was already in minutes restriction at this point but if you are a Spark fan, this just sucks. With that said, knowing that this needs to happen to make Scottie Thompson what he is now, plus we still get to see Prime Spark in action when the games are on the line is still good, I guess.
18 | JERRY CODINERA
1988 – 2005 | DIRECT HIRE – PUREFOODS
AVERAGES: 12.5PPG – 8.1RPG – 1.3APG – 1.4BPG – 871 GAMES
MILESTONES: 10800 POINTS – 7000 REBOUNDS – 1100 ASSISTS – 1200 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
5-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
5-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Jerry Codinera is seen by many as one of the best defensive players of all time. While he is just a one-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, he got selected to the All-Defensive Team ten times. Codinera is ranked third all-time in rebounds and fourth all-time in blocks. But I am just saying his defensive numbers because he is The Defense Minister. Codinera is more than this. He ranks 13th all-time in total points scored and he is also the first player to win the Best Player of the Conference award. The 40 Greatest Players list is going to be a sham if he got snubbed from the list because aside from his aforementioned contributions, he is also an eight-time Mythical Teamer and a five-time champion.
But yeah, one of the biggest problems of his career was playing alongside Alvin Patrimonio. I know this shouldn't be a problem for him as their chemistry on-court and off-court is seen as one of the best partnerships in all of Philippine Sports, but this also placed a "cap" on his achievements. The thing about Codinera is that he was seen as the Scottie Pippen to Alvin's Michael Jordan because of the four MVP trophies the latter had. Much like most top stars in the '90s, some of them have a legitimate claim to at least one of Patrimonio's trophies. Codinera averaged 14.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks during his time in Purefoods and for 13 seasons, he averaged ten points and six rebounds per game. And again, Codinera played in a time when the league was balanced. While his five championships are awesome, they fail in comparison with what the pioneers as well as the current SMC teams have.
17 | JOHNNY ABARRIENTOS
1993 – 2010 | 1993 PBA DRAFT – ALASKA – 3RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 11.6PPG – 3.9RPG – 5.1APG – 1.8SPG – 742 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8600 POINTS – 2900 REBOUNDS – 3700 ASSISTS – 1300 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
6-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (ALASKA)
12-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Alaska is my favorite team in the '90s and Johnny Abarrientos is still one of my all-time favorite players. One of the major players of Alaska's 1996 grand slam feat, the former FEU Tamaraw is recognized as the shortest player to ever win the MVP award. While his stop-and-pop and fadeaway jumpers were impressive, it was The Flying A's precision playmaking and tenacious defense that truly set him apart. Abarrientos led the league in steals per season an incredible eight times and ranks number one on the all-time steals leader list. As for assists, he ranks fourth all-time behind Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, and Dindo Pumaren. Aside from winning the MVP award, Johnny A is a one-time BPC awardee, a seven-time Mythical Teamer, a two-time Finals MVP, and a 12-time PBA champion. His gameplay was so outstanding that he allegedly attracted PBA scouts.
Johnny Abarrientos played in 17 seasons from 1993 to the 2009-10 PBA season, but he never averaged in double digits after the 1999 PBA season. Except for a Mythical Second Team selection in 2003, most of his accolades were acquired during his Alaska years. There were a lot of rumors and speculations back then but this led to his departure from Alaska. The most important thing about Abarrientos' scoring decline is in the year 2000, he was just within the 29 to 30 age range. Most superstars would suffer single-digit scoring due to injury, journeyman status, and age. Also, his Ginebra stint might have prolonged his career, but at this point, his appearances have been sporadic. And to be fair, his arrival at Chot Reyes' Coca-Cola Tigers made the team competitive - winning two championships and the aforementioned Second Team in the process.
16 | WILLIE MILLER
2001 – 2015 | 2001 PBA DRAFT – RED BULL – 1ST OVERALL
AVERAGES: 13.7PPG – 4.5RPG – 3.8APG – 0.9SPG – 628 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8600 POINTS – 2800 REBOUNDS – 2400 ASSISTS – 500 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
4-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Willie Miller is the first MBA player to win the MVP award. He is also the only player to win the MVP award despite averaging in single digits. Yeah, Fil-Am citizenship ruined it for Davonn Harp in 2002. However, when Miller got his second MVP in 2007, he was the undisputed star of the Alaska Aces. While playing well for both the Red Bull Barako and Talk N Text Phone Pals, Miller gained acclaim under the mentorship of Tim Cone. The Thriller's playing style is deceptive, as he can unload a barrage of offense from all ranges, and he can also rebound the ball and transform into a point guard when the situation presents itself. As mentioned, Miller is a two-time MVP along with two BPCs, two Finals MVPs, and five Mythical Team selections. And from 2003 to 2014, Miller averaged in double digits.
Everything got messed up with Willie Miller the minute he was sent to Barangay Ginebra. I know playing for the crowd favorites is a dream come true for most players but like Samigue Eman getting drafted by San Miguel, expectations are different from reality. From being the top dog in Alaska, he became a sub to the Gin originals. It also didn't help his cause that Ginebra selected three combo guards in the 2011 PBA Draft which made his minutes even more scarce. And aside from the so-so playing time because of a souped-up lineup, the bad thing about playing with the Gins is AFTER you play for them. Miller moved from Barako to GlobalPort to Barako which lessened his stock and by the time he returned to Talk N Text, he was relegated to short-term deals. Yes, I pinpointed one particular incident because that REALLY messed up his PBA career.
15 | JAMES YAP
2004 – 2023 | 2004 PBA DRAFT – PUREFOODS – 2ND OVERALL
AVERAGES: 14.8PPG – 3.9RPG – 1.4APG – 0.6SPG – 742 GAMES
MILESTONES: 10900 POINTS – 2800 REBOUNDS – 1000 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
4-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (SAN MIG COFFEE)
7-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Without a doubt, James Yap inherited the role of being the face of the franchise from the iconic Alvin Patrimonio. His primary role in the game was clear: provide the offense. More often than not, Big Game James delivered, especially during crucial moments in the Finals and clutch situations. Yap is a two-time MVP, a four-time Mythical Teamer, a one-time BPC winner, and most importantly, a four-time Finals MVP. Two of his Finals MVPs were acquired during San Mig Super Coffee's grand slam season and this further cemented his importance to the Purefoods/San Mig Super Coffee/Magnolia lore. Yap is the franchise's second all-time leading scorer and like The Captain, his popularity has also crossed mainstream attention.
As mentioned, Yap only had four Mythical Team selections. Unfortunately for him, he played at a time when he had to share the SG and SF positions with Willie Miller, Mark Caguioa, Macmac Cardona, Gary David, and Cyrus Baguio. As the resident sharpshooter, his focus is also directed on scoring shots with getting rebounds as a mere bonus feature, which is why his other stats are considerably low. And while he won a couple of honors and titles under Tim Cone, the coach that made Yap who he was is Ryan Gregorio. Under Coach RG, Yap averaged 17.7 points. Under Tim Cone, Yap only had 13.4 points, with his scoring averages decreasing in all five seasons (with Jason Webb coaching his final year with the franchise.) Despite all of this, you can't discount the awesomeness James Yap brought to the PBA, especially when championships are on the line.
14 | ASI TAULAVA
1999 – 2023 | DIRECT HIRE – MOBILINE
AVERAGES: 13.7PPG – 10.3RPG – 2.0APG – 0.7BPG – 622 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8500 POINTS – 6400 REBOUNDS – 1200 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
4-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
4-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
4-TIME SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
2-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
1-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Asi Taulava burst onto the Philippine basketball scene as the bleached blonde-haired behemoth who rivaled Eric Menk in the PBL. From Blu Detergent, he became Talk N Text's direct hire Fil-Am and for eight seasons, The Rock was the focal point of the Phone Pals' offense. Taulava averaged 19.3 points and 12.4 rebounds from 1999 to 2006-07 before getting swapped for Ali Peek the following season. He would act as a savior for the Coca-Cola Tigers again and a couple of years later with the Air21 Express, which later became the NLEX Road Warriors. Even during his bad seasons, playing in other leagues, Asi was able to unleash hell on his foes as he became the only player to be an MVP in both the PBA and ABL.
A dominant force and a formidable presence in the paint, the year 2003 was incredibly significant for The Rock. During the 2003 PBA season, Taulava won an MVP, BPC, Finals MVP, and championship. Unfortunately for him, this is the only time he would win these accolades. Most of the teams he played for relied heavily on his import-like numbers but their overall team wasn't as competitive. It appears that Asi often finds himself on teams with questionable championship aspirations. It's as if he was tasked with rescuing teams that were not destined to win titles. While this may seem commendable, it sometimes comes at the expense of overshadowing his career highlights. This is also the reason why he only had one championship in the course of 23 seasons. And then he got coached by Ryan Gregorio and Yeng Guiao - two coaches who saw Asi's age as a detriment. Coach RG is one of the reasons why Asi went to the ABL after two uneventful seasons with the Meralco Bolts and Coach YG is the reason why Asi turned into a benchwarmer after being part of the Mythical First Team the season prior. I guess as consolation, Taulava had eight Mythical Teams and four scoring titles in his Hall of Fame resume.
13 | ALLAN CAIDIC
1987 – 1999 | 1987 PBA DRAFT – GREAT TASTE – 1ST OVERALL
AVERAGES: 19.6PPG – 2.8RPG – 2.6APG – 0.9SPG – 598 GAMES
MILESTONES: 11700 POINTS – 1600 REBOUNDS – 1500 ASSISTS – 500 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
6-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
4-TIME SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
5-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Allan Caidic's game is simple - give the ball to him and let the fireworks fly. Dubbed as The Triggerman, throughout his career he struck fear into opponents both locally and internationally. Caidic was nearly automatic from beyond the three-point line and could light up the scoreboard when he got hot. When Allan Caidic's 68-point record was broken by Bong Alvarez, he dropped 79 points with 17 three-pointers in a time when his wife was giving birth to their daughter. He won his only MVP award in 1990 and is an eight-time Mythical Teamer and a four-time scoring champion. Caidic ranks tenth in the all-time scoring list and before Jimmy Alapag broke his record, it took more than half a decade for a player to break his three-points made record.
As mentioned, I call this a Best Careers list and not a Best Players list for a reason. The thing about Allan Caidic is he is a scorer. Caidic is never known as an average rebounder and while he can pass to an open man, the main reason for his basketball existence is to unleash hell on his foes via triples. In some ways, this is why he worked in Great Taste/Presto rather than in San Miguel. In six seasons with Great Taste/Presto, Caidic averaged 23.7 points including three seasons averaging 26 points or more. As part of the Beermen, he didn't do as badly but averaged just 16.2 points which could have been more if there weren't other scoring options and if not for his injuries. And I guess the reason why Caidic moved to San Miguel aside from joining his buddies is to get as many championships as he can. However, because San Miguel's grand slam core was also battered and bruised at this point, he was just able to win 2-of-19 championships from 1993 to 1998 (1998 had four tournaments.) One big what-if with Caidic is if he just stayed in Sta. Lucia to headline a quartet that had him, Vergel Meneses, Bong Hawkins, Gerry Esplana, and Jun Limpot.
12 | DANNY ILDEFONSO
1998 – 2023 | 1998 PBA DRAFT – SHELL – 1ST OVERALL (TRADED TO SAN MIGUEL)
AVERAGES: 10.8PPG – 6.0RPG – 2.3APG – 0.7BPG – 715 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7700 POINTS – 4200 REBOUNDS – 1600 ASSISTS – 500 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
5-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
3-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
3-TIME FINALS MVP
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
8-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Danny Ildefonso and Romel Adducul were supposed to lead the 1998 PBA Draft. They also had MBA offers. Adducul would eventually sign with the Manila Metrostars but Ildefonso would snub the Pangasinan Presidents' offer to join the draft. No question, it was the right choice as Danny Ildefonso would eventually get a career that other players would fight for. The Raise the Roof Kid would team up with Olsen Racela and eventually Danny Seigle to form a wicked triumvirate that gave the San Miguel Beermen two almost grand slams in 1999 and 2000. In the process, he became the third back-to-back MVP since Bogs Adornado and Alvin Patrimonio. He is also the only player in league history to win the Best Player of the Conference award five consecutive times. He is also a five-time Mythical Team member as well as a three-time Finals MVP.
The reason why Danny Ildefonso is ranked this low is not because of his accolades but his stats. Yes, for nine straight seasons, Demolition Danny averaged at least 10 points and 5 rebounds, but his numbers were near this range. When he won his second MVP in which he swept all the BPC awards, he averaged 14.7 points and 8.6 rebounds - which are a couple of points lower than what he got in his first MVP season. Also, his 2000 PBA season numbers of 15.2 points and 8.8 rebounds are his all-time highs. This is why some believe that Danny Seigle deserves at least one MVP and a couple of BPC awards. But like Seigle, Ildefonso was constantly bitten by the injury bug, and this forced San Miguel to slowly turn their 2000s championship squad from starters to bench mob. One of the biggest what-ifs of Ildefonso's career is if it would have been better if he just asked for a trade when his career was still at its prime to maximize his talents.
11 | JAYSON CASTRO
2008 – 2023 | 2008 PBA DRAFT – TALK N TEXT – 3RD OVERALL (ACQUIRED FROM SAN MIGUEL)
AVERAGES: 14.3PPG – 3.9RPG – 4.6APG – 1.1SPG – 647 GAMES
MILESTONES: 9200 POINTS – 2500 REBOUNDS – 2900 ASSISTS – 700 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
5-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
5-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
3-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME SEASON SCORING CHAMPION
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
8-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Normally, an established vet is a better choice than a draft pick. An example of this is Jay Washington. J-Wash gave San Miguel a couple of titles as well as individual accolades with two BPC awards as the proverbial cherries on top. However, Talk N Text got Jayson Castro in return, and despite the awesomeness of Jay Washington, Castro's career is much better. Once dubbed as The Best Point Guard in Asia because of what he did with Gilas Pilipinas, Castro's dribble-drive awesomeness destroyed the assumption of the Tropang Texters being good only on paper. When the almost-Singapore Slinger arrived, he brought the winning tradition he got after leading the PCU Dolphins to the NCAA title as well as the multiple championships he got from his stint in Harbour Centre. The Blur is tied for second with Danny Ildefonso for most BPC wins with five. Castro also had eight Mythical First Team selections, two Finals MVPs, and a scoring title. He also helped Talk N Text win an almost grand slam during the 2011-12 PBA season. This is why despite still being an active player, Castro is voted to the PBA's 40 Greatest Players list.
With that said, Castro is also the highest-ranked player on this list to never win an MVP award. Unfortunately for Castro, he played at a time when June Mar Fajardo's career was at its peak. If it was any other time, Castro would have won at least two MVP awards, especially since his BPC wins came when Jimmy Alapag's career was in decline. When TNT had most of the Gilas Pilipinas core in their squad, it felt like the votes were divided between him and Ranidel De Ocampo, amongst Fajardo and the rest of their contemporaries. There is no question that Castro is going to finish his career with boss-like numbers but it's just insane that the MVP award has eluded him.