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.
50 | ABE KING
1977 – 1994 | DIRECT HIRE – TOYOTA
AVERAGES: 10.0PPG – 6.7RPG – 1.8APG – 0.7BPG – 782 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7800 POINTS – 5200 REBOUNDS – 1300 ASSISTS – 500 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
13-TIME CHAMPION
A player must be at least 18 years old and have the capability to complete his education within a period. The reason why I started Abe King's part like this is because he entered the PBA in 1977 at the age of 19. It's also uncanny that he's only two-and-a-half years older than Hector Calma and almost two months younger than Ricardo Brown. Anyway, The Chairman of the Board was Ramon Fernandez's tag team partner in Toyota. Throughout his career, Abe King had the privilege of playing alongside both pioneers and new-generation stars. Even as he aged, King remained a fierce rebounder, and he continued to be a dependable scorer with an average of 10 points per game over his 18 active seasons. His durability was also evident, as he averaged 42 games per season.
After Toyota disbanded in 1983, Abe King joined the Gold Eagle Beermen the following season. During this time, he posted career-high stats with averages of 19.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 32 games. While King had the skills to lead a team, he primarily played a supporting role throughout his career. Following the 1984 PBA season, King was traded to Great Taste, where he supported the main stars and continued to pursue more championships.
49 | ARNIE TUADLES
1979 – 1992 | DIRECT HIRE – TOYOTA
AVERAGES: 13.6PPG – 3.8RPG – 3.3APG – 0.5BPG – 692 GAMES
MILESTONES: 9400 POINTS – 2600 REBOUNDS – 2200 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
9-TIME CHAMPION
Standing out as one of the most versatile players in league history, Arnie Tuadles started his PBA career with the Toyota Super Corollas. While it was evident that Toyota was never going to be his squad, he was hellbent on at least becoming the team's regular third or fourth option. In five seasons with the squad, Tuadles averaged 14.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 blocks.
Following Toyota's disbandment, Tuadles would change teams six times in nine years. While it may not be fair to characterize these teams as bottom-feeders, given his stints with Great Taste and Shell that led to championships, it was hard for him to become the focal point of the team's offense since he'll just likely leave the team in the following season. Regardless, Tuadles is part of a select group of three players who have scored at least 9,000 career points but were surprisingly excluded from the 40 Greatest Players list.
48 | ALI PEEK
1998 – 2014 | 1998 PBA DRAFT – POP COLA – 3RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 11.6PPG – 8.0RPG – 1.0APG – 1.2BPG – 649 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7500 POINTS – 5100 REBOUNDS – 700 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
1-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
6-TIME CHAMPION
Ali Peek is a powerhouse in the paint, known for his strength and resilience. He even overcame a gunshot wound, showcasing his toughness. The Man Mountain has a sweet-looking jump shot and a super-imposing bulk that he uses to repel his opponents on both offense and defense. His best years were played in Pop Cola, Alaska, and Coca-Cola (the franchise that got the rights to the RFM squad.)
Peek averaged 10 points and 7 rebounds in eight of his first nine seasons. With that said the only championship he got at that point is the 2003 PBA Invitational pocket tournament. His first conference win happened in the 2008-09 PBA Philippine Cup and at that point, his averages were in decline. He also only had three 50+ game seasons, with injuries and weak teams as the main culprits.
47 | DENNIS ESPINO
1995 – 2011 | 1995 PBA DRAFT – STA. LUCIA – 1ST OVERALL
AVERAGES: 13.2PPG – 6.6RPG – 1.9APG – 0.6BPG – 669 GAMES
MILESTONES: 8800 POINTS – 4400 REBOUNDS – 1200 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
2-TIME CHAMPION
A typical PBA season consists of two or three conferences, each featuring prestigious awards like the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) and the Finals MVP, in addition to the standard season-ending accolades. Dennis Espino boasts four major awards, including two championships, during his illustrious career. Throughout 16 seasons, The Menace was known for his physical game - fearlessly tangling with imports and other league bruisers.
One can argue that Espino is the best Sta. Lucia Realtor of all time. Kelly Williams can have this distinction because aside from being the only SLR player to win the MVP award, he got the accolades in record time. Again, this is the problem with most Sta. Lucia players on this list - as the team waited for nine years before scoring a championship, Finals MVP award, and a Mythical First Team selection. Espino stayed the longest in team history and one can imagine the number of awards he could have had if he just played for a team that had a better success rate.
46 | JAY WASHINGTON
2005 – 2022 | 2005 PBA DRAFT – AIR21 – 1ST OVERALL (TRADED TO TALK N TEXT)
AVERAGES: 10.3PPG – 6.0RPG – 1.5APG – 0.6BPG – 514 GAMES
MILESTONES: 5200 POINTS – 3000 REBOUNDS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
4-TIME CHAMPION
Jay Washington is a two-time Best Player of the Conference winner and a three-time Mythical Team selection. While he started his career with the Talk N Text Phone Pals, he had his best years with the San Miguel Beermen. In five seasons with the Beermen, J-Wash posted averages of 13.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
Unfortunately, his entry would also kickstart the infamous Petronovela Era. On paper, a starting core with Washington, Arwind Santos, and Alex Cabagnot, and a second unit mostly comprised of SMB's 2000s starting squad is fear-inducing. With that said, frequent coaching changes ruined team chemistry. Washington and Santos, were each eyeing the top dog spot in San Miguel. Santos was able to edge out J-Wash because the latter had recurring injuries. Washington also switched teams eight times - including three stints with TNT and two with GlobalPort.
45 | RANIDEL DE OCAMPO
2004 – 2019 | 2004 PBA DRAFT – FEDEX – 4TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 12.0PPG – 6.0RPG – 2.0APG – 0.6SPG – 644 GAMES
MILESTONES: 7700 POINTS – 3800 REBOUNDS – 1200 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
6-TIME CHAMPION
When a person goes by his initials, it usually means that he is held with great regard. Since I want his moniker to be Rani-delightful as his TNT commercial would suggest, RDO has a better ring to it. Ranidel de Ocampo is the fourth overall pick of the elite 2004 PBA Draft and is known for his range as well as his physical plays. In 12 of his 15 seasons, De Ocampo averaged in double figures and his best years were played with the TNT Tropang Texters where he was able to haul down individual and team awards.
RDO is also part of the legendary 2013-14 Gilas Pilipinas squad and I guess in some ways, you get why he never won the MVP award. RDO had to juggle PBA and national team duties back then and it's not like his TNT team wasn't overloaded with options. During his more or less, eight seasons with the Tropang Texters, they averaged a little over two players in the Mythical Team. And while RDO and Jayson Castro had the most stints, the team also scored citations from Jimmy Alapag, Kelly Williams, Macmac Cardona, and Ali Peek.
44 | JAPETH AGUILAR
2009 – 2023 | 2009 PBA DRAFT – BURGER KING – 1ST OVERALL
AVERAGES: 12.8PPG – 6.7RPG – 1.2APG – 1.6BPG – 451 GAMES
MILESTONES: 5700 POINTS – 3000 REBOUNDS – 700 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
3-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
2-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
8-TIME CHAMPION
The first overall pick in the 2009 PBA Draft, Japeth Aguilar was supposed to be the star of the Burger King Whoppers. A game later, Aguilar expressed his desire to withdraw from his contract to play for the national team, Smart-Gilas. Burger King ceded his rights to Talk N Text and while Aguilar got his wish, he was also seen in a negative light. Upon his arrival at Talk N Text, Aguilar found himself spending more time on the bench, and his career seemed to be on a disappointing trajectory when he was later traded to GlobalPort.
With that said, everything changed for Japeth Aguilar when he was traded to Ginebra under the tutelage of Tim Cone. While we see LA Tenorio, Joe Devance, Johnny Abarrientos, Justin Brownlee, Marqus Blakely, and Sean Chambers as his guys, Japeth went from an immature athletic freak to a championship-driven future Hall of Famer. In ten seasons with Ginebra, Aguilar scored at least 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block per season. Japeth Like It's Hot also has five Mythical Team selections, and eight championships, and has been part of the Philippine Team since 2009.
43 | SCOTTIE THOMPSON
2015 – 2023 | 2015 PBA DRAFT – GINEBRA – 5TH OVERALL
AVERAGES: 9.8PPG – 7.7RPG – 5.0APG – 1.2SPG – 334 GAMES
MILESTONES: 3200 POINTS – 2500 REBOUNDS – 1600 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
7-TIME CHAMPION
At 30 years old as of this writing, Scottie Thompson is the youngest player on this list and he's probably going to end up higher by the time he retires. As of this writing, he is the reigning MVP and has already won a multitude of individual and team awards. Thompson helped the team win the gold medal in the 2023 Asian Games and because of his MVP win, he will most likely going to be part of a Top 50 or whatever list in the future.
Aside from his awards, one of the most remarkable aspects of Thompson's career is his impressive statistics. If you haven't seen him play and you're just going to base his game on his stats, it might seem as if he's a center with remarkable rebounding and assist numbers. His extraordinary stats will propel him towards numerous career milestones. It's important to note that he hasn't suffered a major injury that would have sidelined him for an entire season, which bodes well for his future in the league.
42 | JAYJAY HELTERBRAND
2000 – 2017 | DIRECT HIRE – GINEBRA
AVERAGES: 9.1PPG – 3.0RPG – 3.6APG – 0.7SPG – 590 GAMES
MILESTONES: 5300 POINTS – 1700 REBOUNDS – 2100 ASSISTS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1-TIME MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
2-TIME BEST PLAYER OF THE CONFERENCE
2-TIME MYTHICAL FIRST TEAM
1-TIME FINALS MVP
2-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
7-TIME CHAMPION
40 GREATEST PLAYERS IN PBA HISTORY
His exceptional playmaking skills were pivotal in Ginebra's fast-paced offensive strategy. As one-half of Ginebra's iconic Fast and the Furious tandem, Jayjay Helterbrand had his breakthrough year at a time when Mark Caguioa suffered an injury, thrusting him into Ginebra's number one scorer. Helterbrand predictably thrived in this role and went on to become the second Ginebra player to win the MVP award.
In the history of the PBA, there are only three MVP winners who have career scoring averages of ten points or less. One of them is Scottie Thompson, and then there's Kelly Williams, and the one with the lowest average is Jayjay Helterbrand. The Fast began his PBA career as Bal David's backup and ended it as LA Tenorio's chief relief. I have talked about San Miguel's idea of bringing in an Olsen Racela heir apparent despite Racela still playing well. In some ways, the same can be said with Helterbrand - although he was frequently injured at this point of his career. It didn't help that for some reason, Ginebra kept stacking up guards from free agency as well as via the draft. To sum it up, Helterskelter is an immensely capable player whose opportunities were limited by team management.
41 | MARC PINGRIS
2004 – 2019 | 2004 PBA DRAFT – FEDEX – 3RD OVERALL
AVERAGES: 7.9PPG – 7.3RPG – 1.7APG – 0.8BPG – 657 GAMES
MILESTONES: 5100 POINTS – 4700 REBOUNDS – 1100 ASSISTS – 500 BLOCKS
AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
3-TIME MYTHICAL SECOND TEAM
2-TIME FINALS MVP
3-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER
1-TIME ALL-STAR MVP
1-TIME GRAND SLAM MEMBER (SAN MIG COFFEE)
9-TIME CHAMPION
Marc Pingris exemplifies the good version of "hero ball." While one could associate this with ball-hogging ballers, errant plays, and ill-advised shots, Ping's role revolves around relentless hustle, making his teammates look good, and filling the gaps that a championship-caliber team requires. He did this for Gilas Pilipinas and Ping also did this during San Mig Coffee's grand slam campaign.
Pinoy Sakuragi is never known for his offense, which puts a cap on his rank on the list. I don't think he cares about this though, since his game is more team-oriented. And despite all of this, Pingris was able to obtain the awards purely defensive players don't usually get like the Finals MVP and the Mythical Team selection. With that said, it's surprising that he was not able to score a Mythical First Team spot, considering how big of a name he was. Aside from Arwind Santos' Mythical First Team monopoly, he also had to contend with the likes of Sonny Thoss, Jay Washington, Ranidel De Ocampo, Asi Taulava, and Kelly Williams.