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.
40 | MANNY VICTORINO
1981 – 1996 | DIRECT HIRE – PRESTO (GREAT TASTE)
AVERAGES: 13.2PPG – 6.1RPG – 1.6APG – 1.1BPG – 728 GAMES
MILESTONES: 9500 POINTS – 4400 REBOUNDS – 1100 ASSISTS – 800 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
6-TIME CHAMPION
The early 1980s didn't exactly see a plethora of star players emerge. Nevertheless, one notable figure during that era was Manny Victorino. There was a time when the league prohibited The Main Man, Ramon Fernandez, and Abet Guidaben in one team, with valid reason. Spending the start of his career with Great Taste, Victorino positioned himself as a prolific scorer but also a tenacious defender and a significant presence on the boards. In fact, he was just 404 points shy of joining the 10,000-point club. Victorino also had a mainstream following, as he was cast as Manny, Cynthia Patag's husband (who later became Mitch Valdes after undergoing sex change) in the iconic sitcom Palibhasa Lalake.
Anyway, Victorino scored all of his Mythical Team selections and most of his championships in Great Taste - averaging 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds in eight seasons. He also ranks third in Great Taste/Presto's all-time scoring list after Allan Caidic and Ricardo Brown. However, following his stint with the Coffee Makers, Victorino bounced from team to team with his value deteriorating. Victorino played for four teams in his last four seasons which also includes an almost retirement in 1995 due to extended free agency and a stint with the MBA's Cagayan de Oro Nuggets and Surigao Miners.
39 | ALEX CABAGNOT
2005 – 2023 | 2005 PBA DRAFT – STA. LUCIA – 2ND OVERALL
AVERAGES: 12.1PPG – 3.9RPG – 5.0APG – 1.1SPG – 698 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8400 POINTS – 2700 REBOUNDS – 3400 ASSISTS – 700 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
9-TIME CHAMPION
Alex Cabagnot boasts an impressive collection of individual accolades, personal milestones, and a near miss with grand slam victories throughout his almost injury-free career. Despite a rocky PBA career start where he was at odds with the Sta. Lucia bigwigs, The Real Deal got his bearing when he was sent to Coca-Cola which led to his stint with the San Miguel Beermen. He is undoubtedly the heir apparent of Olsen Racela and while it took another SMB stint to make this official, Cabagnot carved his niche with the Beermen by acting as an in-court coach of SMB's Death Five lineup and his insane crunch-time game-winners.
Cabagnot is an excellent support to June Mar Fajardo and Arwind Santos but he's a third option at best during his San Miguel days. In some ways, with three almost grand slams, A-Cab can be compared to Crispa legend Bernie Fabiosa who also had seven seasons with his teammate winning the MVP award. Inasmuch as he enjoyed the San Miguel titles, Cabagnot is also part of the Petronovela era, one of the chaotic moments in San Miguel history in the middle of their 2000s championship teams and the era of the Death Five.
38 | YOYOY VILLAMIN
1981 – 1998 | DIRECT HIRE – CRISPA
AVERAGES: 9.8PPG – 6.0RPG – 2.2APG – 0.8BPG – 871 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8500 POINTS – 5200 REBOUNDS – 1800 ASSISTS – 700 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
3-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (CRISPA)
9-TIME CHAMPION
Yoyoy Villamin began his career as a young understudy to the seasoned Crispa veterans. It took him three seasons to finally break the 10 points per game barrier, earning him the Most Improved Player award. Earning the nickname The Bicolano Superman, Villamin possessed the ability to impose his will on the inside, rebound with fearlessness, and block shots with authority. His most prolific years were spent playing for Hills Bros/Alaska, where he and Ricky Relosa formed the formidable Bruise Brothers tag team.
His move to Alaska is important because it sent his star power to greater heights. Not only that, there was a time when Villamin almost won the MVP award (his former Crispa teammate Abet Guidaben won the award in 1987.) Ultimately, leaving Alaska caused his numbers to plummet. In some ways, his move had to happen with Tim Cone taking over as coach and he also got injured in his time with Swift/Sunkist. Furthermore, Villamin was also part of Sunkist's almost grand slam in 1995.
37 | RONNIE MAGSANOC
1988 – 2002 | 1988 PBA DRAFT – SHELL – 2ND OVERALL
AVERAGES: 12.7PPG – 2.9RPG – 5.2APG – 0.9SPG – 618 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7800 POINTS – 1700 REBOUNDS – 3200 ASSISTS – 500 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
3-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
3-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Ronnie Magsanoc had a knack for hitting three-pointers. During the '90s, hearing "Magsanoc three points" is tough, especially if you are rooting for the opposing team. Yes, The Point Laureate is the third-most important player in Shell history behind Benjie Paras and Bobby Parks but he is more than a spot-up shooter. Magsanoc is one of the all-time Top 10 leaders in assists, free throw percentage, and triples made. In 1991, he averaged 20 points, 3.9 rebounds, 9.6 assists, and 1.5 steals. He also had four Mythical Team selections and was part of the 25 Greatest Players list.
Throughout his career, Magsanoc played the role of Benjie Paras' trusted sidekick. This dynamic duo is like the Stockton to Malone combination in the PBA during the '90s. While playing second fiddle isn't a bad thing, one of the reasons why he is ranked this low is his three championships. Again, the '90s is without a doubt, the most unpredictable time in the PBA because no team had a decade-long grasp in terms of championships. Magsanoc's numbers also went down when Parks began to age and Paras was gone because of injuries. It didn't help that Magsanoc was traded to championship-starved Sta. Lucia and later, to a struggling Purefoods squad.
36 | ATO AGUSTIN
1989 – 2001 | 1989 PBA DRAFT – SAN MIGUEL – 12TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 14.3PPG – 3.3RPG – 2.7APG – 0.5SPG – 599 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7900 POINTS – 1800 REBOUNDS – 1400 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (SAN MIGUEL)
6-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
Ato Agustin struck gold when San Miguel chose him in the second round of the 1989 PBA Draft. The Atom Bomb would go on to make history as the only MVP recipient to hail from the second round. What's intriguing about Agustin's story is that he shares a similar narrative with Freddie Hubalde. For starters, he managed to infiltrate San Miguel's system because of his talents. Yes, Samboy Lim and a lot of the SMB players were injured, but Agustin's scoring numbers jumped from 7 to 11 to 19 to 20.7 en route to his MVP campaign in 1992. He started as a 3-and-D player but again, because of injuries, he successfully learned how to become a combo guard. Agustin had seven seasons with San Miguel and had averages of 16.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
But yeah, Agustin's game took a downturn when he was traded to Sunkist for Nelson Asaytono. Agustin would then bounce from team to team, eventually moving to the MBA's Pampanga Dragons. After leading the Dragons to the inaugural MBA title, he returned to the league via Sta. Lucia. The Atom Bomb's gameplay will always be remembered, especially since he won an MVP award but it would have been awesome if he won more accolades in San Miguel.
35 | CALVIN ABUEVA
2012 – 2023 | 2012 PBA DRAFT – ALASKA – 2ND OVERALL
AVERAGES: 13.3PPG – 8.8RPG – 2.5APG – 1.1SPG – 0.7BPG – 374 GAMES
MILESTONES: 4900 POINTS – 3200 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
4-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1-TIME CHAMPION
If Calvin Abueva had a few inches more, then he's a genetic freak. With all of June Mar Fajardo's accolades, the only award that escaped him is the Rookie of the Year award because The Beast managed to cockblocked The Kraken. But that's the thing about Abueva. A player needs to have the mental toughness to play him because he's not going to back down from a challenge. Abueva is a two-time BPC winner and a five-time Mythical Team member and he didn't score the feat just by letting his opponents mess up his psyche.
With that said, most of his on-court and off-court problems appear to be self-inflicted. Especially during the early years of his career, Calvin's on-court behavior occasionally got the better of him. Arguably, Abueva might have clinched at least two MVP titles, including a potential Rookie MVP distinction if he just veered away from his antics. While his statistics are undeniably impressive, it's essential to recognize that without the support of media, fans, and fellow players through votes, winning an MVP award remains a challenging feat. This is why it's reassuring to see that Abueva's exceptional talent is currently overshadowing his past behavioral issues. Maybe when his career is said and done, he might have added another championship to his resume as well as a couple of Mythical Team selections and statistical milestones.
34 | JEFFREY CARIASO
1995 – 2010 | 1995 PBA DRAFT – ALASKA – 6TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 13.0PPG – 4.5RPG – 3.0APG – 0.7SPG – 686 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8900 POINTS – 3000 REBOUNDS – 2000 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (ALASKA)
8-TIME CHAMPION
Drafted sixth overall by the Alaska Milkmen in 1995, Jeffrey Cariaso is exactly what Alaska needed to stir the franchise to greatness. The Jet started his rise as an athletic high-flyer and over the years, he developed into an exceptional outside shooter. He is also an integral part of Alaska's 1996 grand slam run. However, Cariaso broke into superstardom when he bet on himself and left the Milkmen to join Mobiline. He scored a lot of individual accolades during his stint with the Coca-Cola Tigers - including a BPC award in 2002 and a Finals MVP in 2003. Barring his final two seasons in the PBA, Cariaso consistently averaged double figures in 16 seasons.
Cariaso shone the brightest when he was part of a championship-hungry ensemble and in some ways, this is not a good thing if you want to be seen as a G.O.A.T. For most of his career, he had to share the spotlight with the likes of Johnny Abarrientos, Jojo Lastimosa, Bong Hawkins, Asi Taulava, Eric Menk, and Rudy Hatfield, among others. This pattern of strong team compositions might have messed up his selfish time in the spotlight, but I don't really think that Cariaso could care about this for as long as he wins championships.
33 | MARLOU AQUINO
1996 – 2011 | 1996 PBA DRAFT – GINEBRA – 1ST OVERALL
AVERAGES: 12.0PPG – 6.0RPG – 1.8APG – 1.8BPG – 648 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7800 POINTS – 3800 REBOUNDS – 1100 ASSISTS – 1100 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
3-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
When Marlou Aquino made his debut in 1996, many people saw him as a generational talent. He is one of two amateur players to see action in the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, and in 1995, he led the Stag Pale Pilseners to a PBL grand slam. The crop-top-haired giant with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar glasses turned Ginebra into a championship contender. Aquino was twice considered for the MVP award due to his dominance while playing for Ginebra. His unconventional "jolens" shot left people bewildered about its effectiveness. Beyond his offensive prowess, he captivated fans with his spectacular shot-blocking skills, leading the league in that category five times. He played a pivotal role in elevating Ginebra to top-tier status in the late 90s and also contributed to Sta. Lucia secured its first title in the early 2000s.
Before his trade to Sta. Lucia, Marlou Aquino boasted impressive averages of 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. Except for the 2003 PBA season, Marlou's numbers witnessed a significant decline. His inability to maintain focus, to the point where people question his motivation, is kind of unfair, but this is only because he has the size and the talents to at least get one PBA MVP award.
32 | LA TENORIO
2006 – 2023 | 2006 PBA DRAFT – SAN MIGUEL – 4TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 11.7PPG – 3.8RPG – 4.6APG – 1.2SPG – 741 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8600 POINTS – 28 REBOUNDS – 1500 ASSISTS – 800 STEALS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
4-TIME FINALS MVP
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
8-TIME CHAMPION
Even before his move to Ginebra, LA Tenorio has proven to be a reliable and indispensable asset. While he may not always be the primary scorer, it's clear that whatever role he plays for his team, The Flying LA, The Lieutenant, Tinyente Tenorio, or The Gin-eral will find a way to make himself important. Tenorio has won a BPC award, four Mythical Team selections, four Finals MVPs, and as of this writing holds the record for most consecutive games played with 744. To further accentuate the importance of this feat, he has more consecutive games played than the combined games played by Samboy Lim and Rudy Hatfield!
Like most point guards, Tenorio's gameplay is to let his game naturally shine by making others look good. This is a trait that was evident during his time with Alaska when he facilitated for Willie Miller and Joe Devance, as it was in Ginebra with their lethal frontcourt tandem of Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter. While Tenorio is not your prototypical PG because he will also look for his shot when there is an opportunity (he had 13 straight seasons where he averaged 9 or more points), his position automatically makes him a supplement for the team's superstar. Unlike most guards of his time, Tenorio doesn't have big-time assist numbers, as he just breached the 5 assists per game mark four times.
31 | KENNETH DUREMDES
1995 – 2008 | 1995 PBA DRAFT – SUNKIST (POP COLA) – 3RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 13.4PPG – 4.2RPG – 3.1APG – 0.6BPG – 527 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7000 POINTS – 2200 REBOUNDS – 1600 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
6-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
If you think about it, Kenneth Duremdes could have ceded his 25 Greatest Players inclusion to a veteran or a retired player in 2000 since he was just 26 at that time. With that said, because of his MVP win in 1998, he got it. And it's not like Kenneth Duremdes is undeserving of the slot. Aside from his MVP award, Captain Marbel is also a 2-time BPC winner, a 4-time Mythical Team selection, and a 2-time Finals MVP in a season that could have been Alaska's second grand slam. In his almost five seasons with Alaska, Duremdes averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 0.8 blocks.
With that said, Duremdes played at a time when the then-Milkmen were becoming the Aces. Tim Cone at this point has dismantled his grand slam crew and I guess Duremdes does not fit the mostly Fil-Am core of Alaska. The trade that happened in the 2003 PBA Draft in which Alaska acquired the draft rights to Brandon Cablay was so hastily put that Sta. Lucia had to scramble for cap space so they could have Duremdes in their lineup. While KD would average almost 17 points and 6 rebounds in three full seasons with the Realtors despite the presence of Dennis Espino and Marlou, he never got a chance to score an award or a championship. Injuries also forced his numbers to dwindle. I can also say that Duremdes is ranked this low because he was a sub to Vergel Meneses at the start of his career but ultimately, he would have had more awards if he was still part of Alaska.