MAPPED | FROM BONG HAWKINS TO BRYAN SANTOS

Alaska started the 2000s with a trade that sent Jojo Lastimosa and Rhoel Gomez to Pop Cola for Brixter Encarnacion and Roel Buenaventura. Encarnacion was then shipped to Shell for Bryan Gahol, while Buenaventura was moved to Red Bull for the 2003 second-round pick that turned into Vincent San Diego. A season later, Alaska would annihilate their 1996 grand slam core with Johnny Abarrientos and Poch Juinio joining Jolas in Pop Cola for Ali Peek and Jon Ordonio, and Bong Hawkins moving to Tanduay in exchange for their 2003 first-round pick.

Tanduay never got past the 2001 PBA season, and when FedEx bought the franchise rights, they refused to honor Hawkins' salary. The Hawk sat out the entire 2002 season and was left unsigned after his contract ended. Hawkins then moved to Coca-Cola in 2003, re-uniting with grand slam buddies Jeffrey Cariaso, Abarrientos, and Juinio, before finishing his career with Alaska a season later.

Okay. So what's with the history lesson?

The Bong Hawkins trade has affected a lot of players and franchises. You might not notice it, but it's insane how one player's odyssey affected a host of others, 20 years after his retirement.

	ALASKA	STA. LUCIA
1993	BONG HAWKINS	BONG ALVAREZ

Hawkins was the second pick overall of the 1991 PBA Draft, and Alaska could have gotten his rights then and there. Can you imagine a 1993 lineup with Tim Cone at the helm and The Hawk, Mr. Excitement, Jojo Lastimosa, and rookie Johnny Abarrientos in one squad? Instead, Hawkins was sandwiched by two Alaska picks - Alex Araneta at number one and Eugene Quilban at number three.

That said, 1993 was a tough time for Bong Alvarez. Injuries got in the way in his last contract year, and both parties can't seem to agree on an amount. Meanwhile, Presto disbanded after the 1992 PBA season and they sold their franchise to the Sta. Lucia Realtors. SLR was able to select Jun Limpot in the 1993 PBA Draft, franchise player Allan Caidic would, unfortunately, decide to move to San Miguel to join his Northern Consolidated Cement buddies as a free agent.

In the middle of the 1993 PBA season, the Realtors decided to build around Limpot. Vergel Meneses and Zaldy Realubit were traded to the RFM franchise (Swift then) for Andy De Guzman, Ric-Ric Marata, and Black Jack Tanuan. Days later, Hawkins moved to Alaska for Bong Alvarez.

One Bong became a perennial Mythical Teamer while the other Bong bounced from different teams and leagues.

	ALASKA	TANDUAY
2001	BONG HAWKINS	2003 FIRST-ROUND PICK (MIKE CORTEZ)

This 2001 trade between Alaska and Tanduay was pivotal, with long-term consequences that significantly impacted both teams.

Hawkins was already in the twilight of his career at this point. Tanduay likely sought his leadership and winning pedigree to strengthen their lineup.

On the other hand, this was the jewel of the trade for Alaska. Nicknamed the "Cool Cat," Mike Cortez was one of the most hyped prospects entering the PBA due to his court vision, speed, and ability to take over games.

While Tanduay gained a veteran presence in Hawkins, they also disbanded after the 2001 season. The FedEx Express, the team that purchased the Tanduay franchise, did not want to honor Hawkins' expensive contract. Not only did FedEx lose out on the top pick of the 2003 PBA Draft, it was also the beginning of the end of Bong Hawkins' career.

FedEx could have used Cortez in their squad, with Dindo Pumaren retiring after the 2002 PBA season.

Regardless of whether you want Mike Cortez or Rommel Adducul, Alaska has the best in this situation. Any time you trade an aging superstar with a rich price tag for the draft's top pick, that is yours to waste.

This trade was heavily one-sided in favor of Alaska because of the long-term benefit they gained from drafting Mike Cortez. Alaska's ability to plan for the future and let go of an aging star like Hawkins was a masterstroke that helped them remain competitive.

That said, this "win" is on the heels of Alaska virtually trading Kenneth Duremdes for Brandon Cablay and trading the tenth pick of the draft, who turned out to be Jimmy Alapag, for Don Camaso.

	SAN MIGUEL	ALASKA
2008	MIKE CORTEZ	LA TENORIO
	KEN BONO	LARRY FONACIER

This trade between San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces in 2008 was a fascinating one, especially when considering the careers of the players involved.

At the time, Mike Cortez brought a wealth of experience and was expected to inject leadership and stability into San Miguel's backcourt. On the other hand, Ken Bono didn’t reach his expected ceiling, which may have dulled the trade’s value for San Miguel.

Though still a young player at the time, LA Tenorio was already showing flashes of why he would be a future Hall of Famer. This trade allowed Alaska to invest in his development, and he eventually became one of the league’s best point guards and a key leader for the Aces. Fonacier, a sharpshooter and versatile defender, and also playing for his third team after Red Bull and San Miguel, provided Alaska with an additional weapon on both ends of the floor. His skill set complemented Alaska’s system perfectly.

That said, Fonacier's Alaska stint would be short-lived.

	ALASKA	TNT
2011	2010 FIRST-ROUND PICK (ELMER ESPIRITU)	LARRY FONACIER

The acquisition of Larry Fonacier was a brilliant move for TNT. Fonacier, known as "The Baby-Faced Assassin," is one of the PBA's best 3-and-D players. His ability to hit clutch threes and provide solid perimeter defense fit perfectly with TNT's system under Coach Chot Reyes. This trade gave TNT a versatile wing who contributed significantly to their championship runs during the early 2010s. Fonacier eventually became a key part of TNT’s multiple title-winning squads, further solidifying his reputation as a big-game performer.

On the other hand, Alaska received Elmer Espiritu, a 6'4" athletic forward known for his highlight-reel dunks during his UAAP days with the UE Red Warriors. While Espiritu showed flashes of brilliance, he struggled to find his footing in the PBA. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the same impact in the league as he did in college, which makes Alaska’s side of this trade look lopsided in hindsight.

	ALASKA	AI21
2011	WESLEY GONZALES	ELMER ESPIRITU

This 2011 trade between Alaska and Air21 was a relatively low-profile exchange. Known as a versatile wing player, Gonzales brought energy and athleticism to Alaska. However, he was more of a role player, never truly breaking out as a star in the PBA. Espiritu was a high-flyer with a reputation for highlight-reel dunks and strong defensive potential. However, like Gonzales, he struggled to find a consistent role in the league.

This trade was a wash in terms of immediate and long-term impact. But Wesley Gonzales will be a part of an even better trade.

	ALASKA	GLOBALPORT
2012	JV CASIO	WILLIE MILLER
	DONDON HONTIVEROS	2014 SECOND-ROUND PICK (PHILIP MORRISON)
	2015 SECOND-ROUND PICK (MARION MAGAT)
	GINEBRA	BARAKO BULL
	LA TENORIO	ENRICO VILLANUEVA
	PETRON
	WESLEY GONZALES
	HANS THIELE

This 2012 multi-team trade involving Alaska, GlobalPort, Ginebra, Barako Bull, and Petron was a blockbuster deal with ripple effects across the league.

Basically, Alaska traded Gonzales and LA Tenorio for JV Casio and Dondon Hontiveros. The former top overall pick was seen as a floor general who could energize Alaska’s rebuild. Casio's steady playmaking, clutch shooting, and basketball IQ made him an ideal fit for Coach Luigi Trillo’s system. Casio played a crucial role in Alaska’s 2013 Commissioner’s Cup title run. A seasoned sharpshooter and perimeter defender, Dondon Hontiveros provided Alaska with leadership and a deadly outside shot. They also acquired a future role player in Marion Magat.

As far as the other teams, this trade leaned toward a loss for GlobalPort, as they gave up a promising young player in Casio for a short-term veteran presence in Willie Miller. While there is no shame in acquiring a two-time MVP, Miller was coming from his worst PBA season at that point as part of Barangay Ginebra.

Without question, Ginebra won this trade along with Alaska. Tenorio solidified Ginebra’s backcourt and became one of the franchise’s key leaders. His playmaking, defensive grit, and clutch performances made him a beloved figure among Ginebra fans. The trade also happened because Alaska allegedly didn't want to lend Tenorio to Gilas Pilipinas, and Tenorio went public because of his displeasure.

Barako didn’t gain much from this trade, which reflects their role as a team often involved in redistributing talent in multi-team deals. Petron’s involvement was minimal and didn’t significantly affect their roster. They just acted as cogs to move the Tenorio trade.

	ALASKA / CONVERGE	BLACKWATER
2021	MIKE TOLOMIA	JV CASIO
	2022 SECOND-ROUND PICK (BRYAN SANTOS)	BARKLEY EBONA

And now we come to this. This 2021 trade between Alaska (later Converge) and Blackwater involved notable pieces and prospects with varying potential.

Mike Tolomia brought depth to Alaska's backcourt but became an afterthought after the franchise was sold to Converge. Surprisingly, the key piece of the trade is Bryan Santos. While Alaska lost their point guard chain when they obtained a big man for Casio, Santos has the potential to develop into a good rotational player for the FiberXers.

Even in the later stages of his career, Casio's stability and experience could be valuable to a rebuilding team. Ebona had a good rookie season for Alaska but his numbers drastically went down as the seasons progress. He returned to Alaska (now Converge) a couple of seasons ago before signing with the TNT Tropang GIGA.

THE OUTRO

When you trace the legacy of the Bong Hawkins-Bong Alvarez trade from 1993, it’s incredible how one decision altered the course of PBA history. Hawkins became a cornerstone for Alaska, helping the Aces establish their dynasty in the late '90s, while Alvarez's career took a nomadic turn that reflected the instability of the teams he joined.

This trade highlights how the PBA, much like life, operates on a butterfly effect—seemingly small moves have far-reaching consequences. Hawkins' eventual trade to Tanduay in 2001 set the stage for Alaska to draft Mike Cortez in 2003, paving the way for a new generation of Aces.

Fast forward to later trades involving the likes of LA Tenorio, JVee Casio, and Bryan Santos, and you begin to see how decisions made decades ago still resonate. From dynastic runs to rebuilding efforts, the echoes of the Bong-for-Bong trade continue to shape the PBA.

So the next time you look at a blockbuster trade or even a seemingly minor player swap, remember that history is always at play.

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