MVP NUMBER 10 OR NEW ROOKIE MVP? | June Mar Fajardo, Juan GDL among PBA MVP frontrunners

June Mar Fajardo is on track for a 10th MVP award, but super rookie Juan Gomez De Liaño is not far behind. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—To the surprise of probably a few, June Mar Fajardo leads the pack in the MVP race, two conferences down in the PBA's 50th season.

The San Miguel center, the Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference, currently averages 29.8 statistical points at the end of the Commissioner's Cup, where he was once again among the finalists.

Fajardo, who leads the league in rebounding with 16.1 boards per game, is on track to add another MVP trophy to his collection once the Leo Awards commence early next year, stretching his already historic haul to 10.

NLEX guard Robert Bolick, who topped the SP race for the PBA Commissioner's Cup BPC, is currently second for the year with 26.7 average SPs.

Bolick is currently the PBA's top playmaker with 8.3 assists per night.

Ginebra's RJ Abarrientos, the eventual BPC for the mid-season conference, is sixth with 22.8.

A surprise third placer in the MVP race is Juan Gomez De Liaño with 23.6 SPs, just above fellow former University of the Philippines alumnus Zav Lucero, who has 23.3 two-thirds into the golden jubilee season.

With Converge's new star point guard having a solid shot, PBA fans already began entertaining the thought of possibly seeing only the second rookie MVP in league history following the achievement of another former King Maroon, Benjie Paras, in 1989.

Gomez De Liaño is way ahead of Terrafirma's surprise freshman hero, JM Bravo, in the Rookie of the Year race.

PBA rules state that if a rookie makes a Mythical Team, which is very likely the case for Gomez De Liaño, he will be automatically awarded the Rookie of the Year award.

Meanwhile, Lucero, the high-flying Magnolia power forward, is the PBA's top rim protector with two blocks per match.

Another FiberXer, Balti Baltazar, rounds up the Top 5 with 23.2 SPs, while Scottie Thompson (22.61), CJ Perez (22.57), Joshua Munzon (22.3), and Justin Arana (21.22) complete the Top 10.

Munzon leads the league in scoring with 20.6 points per game and steals with 2.4 per outing.