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 own pros and cons. One “con” is that I value historical stats and try to give bonus points to the pioneers. Also, we have our own favorite players, so the “greatest” tag is also going to measure a legend’s fandom. 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 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 with the exception of 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 had the need 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 will 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.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:
105 | DONDON AMPALAYO
1986 – 1995 | 1986 PBA DRAFT – GINEBRA – 3RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 10.0PPG – 5.7RPG – 2.1APG – 375 GAMES
MILESTONES: 3700 POINTS – 2100 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
4-TIME CHAMPION
If it wasn't for his injuries, Dondon Ampalayo would have been a top star. The Magic Man basically became Ginebra's number two player after the retirement of Francis Arnaiz. Before his major injury in 1989, Ampalayo averaged almost 16 points and 9 rebounds for the Gins.
104 | WILLIE PEARSON
1984 – 1989 | DIRECT HIRE - CRISPA
AVERAGES: 12.7PPG – 4.8RPG – 2.2APG – 0.6BPG – 321 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4000 POINTS – 1500 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
3-TIME CHAMPION
Willie Pearson is one-half of the Fil-Am invasion of the '80s. His accomplishments may not have been as big as that of Ricky Brown but he still had his share of awards and championships, as part of the Great Taste Coffee Makers. Pearson finished his PBA career at age 32. Knowing what you know now, 32 is practically the average age of a normal PBA squad.
103 | ROGER YAP
2001 – 2013 | 2001 PBA DRAFT – PUREFOODS – 9TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 7.1PPG – 3.6RPG – 3.1APG – 1.2SPG – 530 GAMES
MILESTONES: 3700 POINTS – 1800 REBOUNDS – 1600 ASSISTS – 600 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
3-TIME CHAMPION
The Roger Yap of the PBL is different from his PBA version. From a Cebuano super scorer, Yap became a pass-first point guard. While he found success as one of the starters of Ryan Gregorio's Purefoods squad, it would have been better if he had a green light to shoot more shots.
102 | RICKY RELOSA
1982 – 1993 | DIRECT HIRE - TOYOTA
AVERAGES: 8.0PPG – 4.0RPG – 2.2APG – 1.1BPG – 531 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4200 POINTS – 2100 REBOUNDS – 1100 ASSISTS – 500 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
3-TIME CHAMPION
Back in the '80s, Ricky Relosa demanded your attention. He's not a big-time scorer and a big-time rebounder as well but when a player needs to be stopped, this Bruise Brother can be of service, and score the occasional bucket when needed.
101 | JEFF CHAN
2008 – PRESENT | 2008 PBA DRAFT – RED BULL – 17TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 9.6PPG – 2.7RPG – 1.9APG – 0.6SPG – 585 GAMES
MILESTONES: 5600 POINTS – 1500 REBOUNDS – 1100 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
2-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
6-TIME CHAMPION
This former Gilas Pilipinas star got his big break in 2012. One of the best second-round picks in league history, Jeff Chan helped Rain or Shine win their first title, in which he was named Finals MVP and then finished the season as part of the Mythical Second Team.
NUMBERS 91 TO 100
100 | PETER JUNE SIMON
2004 – 2020 | 2001 PBA DRAFT – STA. LUCIA – 43RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 10.1PPG – 2.4RPG – 1.0APG – 0.3SPG – 685 GAMES
MILESTONES: 6900 POINTS – 1600 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (SAN MIG COFFEE)
8-TIME CHAMPION
This Purefoods lifer is the only fifth-round pick in league history to score a Mythical Team selection. Dubbed The Scoring Apostle, Peter June Simon started out as a super sub and rose to starter status, especially with the entry of Tim Cone in the squad. PJ is a great offensive player and while there is nothing wrong with being a catch-and-shoot guy, he only had 1,600 rebounds and 700 assists during his 15-year career.
99 | HARVEY CAREY
2003 – 2019 | 2003 PBA DRAFT – TALK N TEXT – 4TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 6.4PPG – 6.1RPG – 1.0APG – 0.3BPG – 727 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4600 POINTS – 4400 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
7-TIME CHAMPION
This TNT lifer was an almost double-double machine during the 2000s and a utility player off the bench during their championship run. At first glance, people would think Harvey Carey is a reach to join the list but Carey is a 17-year player who averaged seven points and seven rebounds in a season for six times. In terms of careers, staying loyal to one team for almost two decades with the numbers he brought in is a good thing.
98 | GERRY ESPLANA
1990 – 2002 | 1990 PBA DRAFT – PRESTO (GREAT TASTE) – 9TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 9.3PPG – 3.0RPG – 4.3APG – 0.8SPG – 577 GAMES
MILESTONES: 5300 POINTS – 1700 REBOUNDS – 2400 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME FINALS MVP
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
3-TIME CHAMPION
Gerry Esplana played in an era when PBA teams were able to play in the Finals. With that said, Sta Lucia isn't one of them. Sta. Lucia’s inability to reach the finals ruined most of their players’ historical standing. Most of Esplana’s contemporaries have multiple Mythical Team selections but the same can't be said with Esplana. Lucky for him, his move to Shell gave his career a much-needed boost.
97 | NOLI LOCSIN
1994 – 2005 | 1994 PBA DRAFT – TONDENA (GINEBRA) – 1ST OVERALL
AVERAGES: 11.3PPG – 6.2RPG – 2.1APG – 0.5SPG – 413 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4600 POINTS – 3000 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME CHAMPION
The '90s is the most balanced era in the PBA and Noli Locsin prides the idea that he’s an undersized power forward who gets the job done. However, The Tank was the player who got hit the worst with the Fil-Am invasion. Unlike most of the undersized forwards of his time, Locsin was not able to develop a decent outside game. He is also a Robert Jaworski guy and without the mentor, Locsin bounced from team to team up until his retirement.
96 | DON ALLADO
1998 – 2015 | 1998 PBA DRAFT – ALASKA – 8TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 7.5PPG – 5.6RPG – 1.2APG – 0.4BPG – 612 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4600 POINTS – 3400 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
3-TIME CHAMPION
Don Allado made his debut late in the 1998 PBA season because he helped the DLSU Green Archers win the UAAP title. But then he was traded to Talk N Text, which led to his journeyman status. No amount of talent can withstand the curse of being a journeyman and Allado is no exception. There was even a point wherein Allado played for three teams in one season. Allado's numbers were never really big with Alaska, but at least he had stable playing time. One might even argue that if he had stayed with the squad, he could have had the stats of Sonny Thoss.
95 | RAFI REAVIS
2002 – 2023 | 2002 PBA DRAFT – COCA-COLA – 2ND OVERALL
AVERAGES: 5.2PPG – 5.8RPG – 0.9APG – 0.7BPG – 843 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4300 POINTS – 4800 REBOUNDS – 500 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (SAN MIG COFFEE)
11-TIME CHAMPION
When Rafi Reavis debuted after an exceptional stint with the MBA's San Juan Knights, fans saw him as an offensive and defensive powerhouse. While he never had import-like numbers, he is an 11-time champion. He is also a 20-season veteran who averaged six points and six rebounds six times in a season. He never scored a Mythical Team selection though.
94 | MATTHEW WRIGHT
2016 – 2022 | 2016 PBA DRAFT – PHOENIX – SPECIAL ROUND
AVERAGES: 17.9PPG – 5.0RPG – 4.9APG – 1.4SPG – 148 GAMES
MILESTONES: 2600 POINTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
0-TIME CHAMPION
When Matthew Wright was selected by Phoenix in the 2016 PBA Special Draft, it gave the Phoenix team a certified star player. After six seasons, Wright decided to the Japan B-League. While his individual numbers are impressive, it was evident that the only way Wright would flourish in the PBA is if he takes Phoenix to the top despite losing most of its talents to the big-market teams or he himself becomes engulfed into a major corporation. Wright is one of three players on this list to make the list without a championship ring.
93 | POCH JUINIO
1994 – 2008 | 1994 PBA DRAFT – ALASKA – 5TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 6.8PPG – 4.8RPG – 1.4APG – 0.8BPG – 721 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4800 POINTS – 3400 REBOUNDS – 1000 ASSISTS – 500 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME FINALS MVP
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (ALASKA)
12-TIME CHAMPION
Despite the championships, it feels as if the Alaska system is holding Poch Juinio back. It’s hard for him to get individual recognition as the fifth local option. And then it gets worse when Sean Chambers or the random Commissioner’s Cup import comes to town. When he was traded to Pop Cola in 2001, Juinio had a breakout season, averaging 13.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. That breakout did not last long, because the following season, he is teammates again with most of the Alaska core.
92 | ENRICO VILLANUEVA
2003 – 2017 | 2003 PBA DRAFT – RED BULL – 7TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 9.0PPG – 5.9RPG – 1.4APG – 0.6BPG – 515 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4600 POINTS – 3000 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1-TIME CHAMPION
Dubbed The Raging Bull, Enrico Villanueva made a living by bullying his way inside the court by either muscling his way or posterizing an opponent with his signature dunk. If you examine his accolades though, E-Vil essentially had only one standout season as a PBA superstar. At the peak of his game, Red Bull began to lopsidedly trade their players and for some reason, none of the seven teams he played for afterward fully embraced his style of play. The fact that he's always starting over, coupled with injuries later in his career, pretty much messed up his career.
91 | REY EVANGELISTA
1994 – 2008 | 1994 PBA DRAFT – PUREFOODS – 2ND OVERALL
AVERAGES: 7.3PPG – 5.2RPG – 1.5APG – 0.7SPG – 665 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4800 POINTS – 3400 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
4-TIME CHAMPION
Rey Evangelista's performance during the 2002 Governors' Cup was astounding. No one expected him to excel to such an extent because we always saw him as an above-average role player. Throughout his 14-year career with Purefoods, he only averaged in double figures once. But you can't fault The Enforcer for prioritizing the team's success over individual accolades. Considering that he played alongside Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codinera, Dindo Pumaren, Kerby Raymundo, and James Yap towards the end of his career, I believe Rey Evangelista did well enough to establish a noteworthy PBA career.