Big night for Big J in the PBA

By Robert Andaya

It will be a “Night of Legends” on Tuesday, September 24 Basketball great Robert Jaworski Sr. will be honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 30th PBA Press Corps Annual Awards Night at the Novotel Manila Araneta City.

Jaworski, nicknamed the “Big J” during his long and colorful career in the PBA from 1973 to 1998  is only the second individual to receive the prestigious award, following Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu, who was honored as the first recipient during the PBAPC’s 25th anniversary in 2019.

Jaworski, who was named as part of the PBA’s 40 Greatest Players and was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2005, remains as the most recognizable player in the country.

Now 78, the former Barangay Ginebra playing coach, is still widely, admired for his good looks, charisma, exceptional skills, and natural leadership, which endeared him to basketball-loving Filipinos.

The tough-playing guard , who was voted as 1978 PBA MVP,  captured a total of 13 championships both as a player and coach from 1975 to 1997.

To this day, he remains the only player to have ever suited up for a game at the age of 50.

The Big J was also a 13-time champion as a player, coach, and playing-coach. He was named to the Mythical First Team six times, the Mythical Second Team twice, made the All-Defensive Team twice, and was a four-time All-Star.

After a impressive career with Toyota, the Filipino Olympian found his stride with Gilbey’s Gin (now Ginebra), where he inspired the legendary ‘Never Say Die’ mantra of the franchise.

Jaworski became the first-ever playing-coach to win a PBA championship during the Open Conference. 

He also led the first all-pro team in the Beijing Asian Games, guiding the Philippines to a silver medal.

He was named among the original 25 Greatest Players in PBA history and was a first-ballot PBA Hall of Famer, inducted as part of the inaugural 2005 class.

In 2012, Barangay Ginebra officially retired his iconic no. 7 jersey in honor of his legendary career.

After his basketball journey, Jaworski transitioned into public service, serving as a Philippine Senator from 1998 to 2004.

Big J holds the all-time record for most career assists, with an impressive total of 5,825.

Also to be cited are Robert Bolick, June Mar Fajardo, and the thrilling Game 6 of the Philippine Cup finals between Meralco and San Miguel Beer.

Bolick, the prolific shooting guard of NLEX, is hailed as the Season 48 Scoring Champion, Fajardo will be honored with the Order of Merit, and the Beermen and Bolts share together the award for the Game of the Season.

The 32-year-old Bolick averaged 25.3 points to lead the league in scoring in his first season with the Road Warriors after acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with NorthPort for Don Trollano.

His season average was the highest among locals over the last 11 seasons since Gary David posted 25.8 points per game for Powerade during the 2011-12 season, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III.

The 6-foot-10 Fajardo on the other hand, receives his third Order of Merit honor from the group that regularly covers the PBA beat after previously being cited for the award in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

The San Miguel big man twice emerged as recipient of the PBAPC-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week honor in a tie with Arvin Tolentino of Northport and Jason Perkins of Phoenix.

But Fajardo’s citations came at the most crucial stretch of San Miguel’s campaign during the week of the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals (Jan. 24-28) and the Philippine Cup playoffs (May 15-19), respectively, allowing him to edge out Perkins and Tolentino for the honor.

Fajardo, the league’s only eighth time MVP, also figured prominently in the Game of the Season where he exchanged clutch play against Chris Newsome in the waning moments of Game 6 the All-Filipino Cup title series between the Beermen and the Bolts.