For the 3rd straight year, we will present a top 100 player list! Even though we only conducted a single tournament in 2020, I think what we saw there was enough to update our current valuations of each player.
To rank them, we used the following criteria.
Scoring (S) - 30
Primarily, this is the ability of the player to score. Their points per game were the primary statistics that were scrutinized but we also give a huge weight on the efficiency of the player. We also factor in the fact that there are a hundred ways to score. So the more ways a player score efficiently will also increase his points in this area.
Defense (D) - 30
Defense represents 50% of the game for a player. This score will take into account the ability of the player to stop someone, man-to-man. Now, the defense is not all about man-to-man but also about the capacity of a player to work in the defensive scheme of a team. Enjoined in this area is the ability of the player to get rebounds and to help his team control the flow of the game.
Offense (O) - 25
Scoring is the only goal of offense but the other factors that will pave the way for good scoring opportunities will reside in this area. Primarily, this is about the ability of the player to break down defenses and make plays for his teammates. Added into this is the intelligence of the player in making the right plays, reads and positions in helping out the team take a good shot.
Intangibles (I) - 15
There are four other elements of a player that basically form this criterion. They are leadership, chemistry, clutch, and health. Those four are not part of the first three but actually elevate a player. A good example is LA Tenorio. LA is not as valuable as the Tenorio that we know today without his ability to command and his 100% health status.
In the case of ties, they will be ranked according to age with the youngest being the highest.
We will begin with the 50th to 26th rank players.
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Rank. Name of the Player. Scoring/Defense/Offense/Intangibles
#50 Rome Dela Rosa 12/20/13/10.5
#49 Maverick Ahanmisi 15/12/20.5/8
#48 Robert Bolick 20/13/16/7
#47 Ryan Reyes 8/21/17/11.5
#46 Javee Mocon 13/22/13/10
I will not be shocked if you only see Rome as a bona fide role player and that there is nothing more to him. I clearly disagree and the spiked of his three-point efficiency to 41% is a good indication. Defensively, Rome is easily one of the hardest workers in marking his man. He always gives 100% in fighting over screens, not giving any space to the offensive player.
I am really hoping Maverick can finally shakeout the injury bugs. Maverick produced 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 35% 3FG per game last year. I am a big fan of his ability to make plays for others. Especially with his size and his first step.
Robert failed to play any professional basketball game in 2020 due to his injury. Actually, he was supposed to be healthy before the bubble but the team decided that it is best for him to just focus on his healing. I think that is a fine decision because I also want to see Robert to return to his old form. He operates very smoothly and is very capable of closing out games.
I will not be shocked if this ranking raises a lot of eyebrows. Why is a bench player ranked on the top 50? Ryan though is not your usual bench player. He plays a very important role and has been one of the steadiest defenders in the league for a long time. Other than his defense, Ryan has been one of hte most reliable off-ball player.
A lot of people have anointed Javee as the future of Rain or Shine and I will not disagree with that claim. Mocon is strong and athletic. He can defend almost all positions in the court and he has a lot of things to offer on offense. In the PBA bubble, he manufactured 12.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 blocks and 28% 3FG per game. His 1.2 blocks per game ended up as the 3rd best in the tournament. A good indication of how good he is on the defensive end.
#45 Kevin Ferrer 12/18/19/9.5
#44 Jericho Cruz 19/12/18.5/9.5
#43 Raymond Almazan 13/25/16/6
#42 Jio Jalalon 10/24/16/10.5
#41 Robbie Herndon 14/20/18/8.5
Finally, after several years of waiting, Ferrer is now looking like a legitimate star on the rise. I think, not everyone was aware of it because of how bad Northport played in the bubble. Nevertheless, his 10.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 steals, 38% 3FG and 2.7 three-pointers made per game is a good indication of how good he can be in the future.
I am really happy that we are now witnessing the redemption story of Jericho. From a player that was thrown away by his previous team to becoming an important cog in the machine of NLEX. His slashing to the basket has always been impressive and of course his scoring repertoire.
Almazan's biggest problem is his health. I think, the biggest what if in the franchise history of Meralco is, what if Raymond was healthy during the 2019 Governors' Cup finals? Almazan is one of the few unicorn centers in the league. His rim protection is elite. And he can really hit three-point shots. I hope to see more rim rolls from him when he reached 100% health.
Even though Jalalon has a hard time finding more minutes in the PBA bubble, I am still a big believer in what he brings to the court. Jio has a big issue in his three-point shooting. He compensates for that with his non-stop defense, near-elite playmaking ability and awesome rebounding ability. Is he really the point guard of the future of Magnolia? What about another team?
Herndon made sure that Alaska will end up the winner in the Chris Banchero to Magnolia trade. Herndon averaged 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 37% 3FG per game. Yes. Herndon is looking like a complete player. What amazed me was the fact that Herndon can play much bigger than his size and can also defend and play in the perimeter.
#40 Jeron Teng 15/16/20.5/9
#39 Troy Rosario 14/15/19/13
#38 Rashawn McCarthy 18/15/20.5/8
#37 Rey Nambatac 15/15/20/11.5
#36 Cliff Hodge 12/22/17/11
I was really excited for Teng in the PBA bubble. In a way, he did not meet the hype with his 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. What is really interesting about him now is the increase in his playmaking duties and as you can see, Jeron is delivering. With more experience and better spacing, I can see Teng legitimizing himself as a point-forward.
If you try to ask every coach in the PBA, I think almost all of them will be happy to have a Rosario in their team. Someone who is 6'7 and super athletic. Someone who is capable of protecting the rim and defending in the perimeter. Someone who is an elite off-the-ball player. He cuts very well. He can be red hot from beyond the arc. And his screening game is underrated.
McCarthy badly struggle in the PBA bubble. He only averaged 7.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 42% FG and 35% 3FG per game. That will not erase what I saw in the previous two seasons, where I saw him as a lite-version of Stanley Pringle. What is interesting now is that he has an issue with the coaching staff. Will he still be with Terrafirma next season? We will see.
Nambatac's number of 8.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 steals and 31% FG per game. Although, that was the only fr 24.9 minutes per game. If we convert that to 36 minutes, we will see 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game. What makes a lot of people believed on his potential was the number of clutch plays that he delivered. He can easily be a superstar in the next few years.
Here is another superstar role player of the PBA. We will seldom see him in any top 10 plays rundown but Hodge always plays out his heart on the court. He is easily one of the toughest players in the PBA. From being a forward into becoming a legitimate bigman. He provides very good screens and always works hard on the defensive end.
#35 Vic Manuel 22/17/14/9.5
#34 Chris Banchero 17/14/21/10.5
#33 Greg Slaughter 18/25/16/5
#32 Gabe Norwood 9/29/13/13.5
#31 Alex Cabagnot 19/18/18/11
Manuel was not the amazing scorer that we used to know him for during the PBA bubble. He averaged 15.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 44% FG per game. Still a very impressive showing by Manuel but I think, he was not as effective as before. Maybe it was due to age or maybe more about conditioning.
Banchero was chosen as the 2nd in command of the very deep guard rotation of Magnolia. He produced 10.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 33% 3FG per game. I consider him one of the most accurate passers in the league. He has very good vision in finding his open teammates and passing on the move is super easy for Chris.
Greg's valuation under intangibles broke down because of his decision to have a sabbatical. That did not affect though the other part of his game. Greg' size alone gives him a lot of avenues to impact the game. He can protect the rim by just standing and not committing a foul. His screens, even if half-hearted, are very effective. And his passing is underrated.
At this point, Gabe's defense is overrated. He is not the best overall defender in the league anymore. But, he is still the next best. Gabe is a master now of good decision-making, especially off the ball. He knows when to take steps towards the ball-handler. The proper position in shadowing his man. And his offense? It is still as reliable as ever.
One easy prediction for my 2022 top 100 is that Alex will not be a top 40 player anymore. It is just hard to continue to believe that a 38 years old guard will average 12.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 40% FG per game. In short, what Alex is doing right now is beyond logic. It speaks a lot about how high is the work ethic and skill level of Alex.
#30 Mac Belo 20/17/19/10.5
#29 JR Quinahan 15.5/21/19/11.5
#28 Don Trollano 18/23/17/9
#27 JP Erram 17/28/15/7.5
#26 Arwind Santos 17/28/15/8
Because of the very bad performance of Blackwater throughout the years, people have forgotten about Belo. Mac manufactured 11.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 34% 3FG per game. Not that amazing for a top 30 player but I think in terms of skills, he may have the most average ones. He has a floater game. Capable of defending on-ball, off-ball and making right team rotations. His passing is underrated also.
The career of JR Quinahan is really fascinating because as he became older when we are already anticipating his decline, he always finds a way to tilt his game and increased his impact. For 2020, he averaged 13.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 42% FG and 36% 3FG per game. His offensive impact is shown by his 115.7 offensive rating, 14th best in the league.
Another interesting career was that of Trollano because he started as a bona fide role player and now, he is playing like a legit capable main guy on offense. Trollano produced 14.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 38% FG per game. His efficiency is a big roadblock to his success. Although, he recompensed that with his impressive defense.
JP was one of the guys that amazed me the most in the PBA bubble. His defense was really good. It was so good that I think, he is as good as an anchor of the defense now as that of a peak Rafi Reavis. The way he positions when someone slashes to the basket is really on point, fundamentally. He even knows now how to defend guards in the perimeter. Offensively, he remains to be a capable play-finisher, which is good for a team that is loaded with firepower.
I know that a lot of fans are not that fond of the Spiderman but we do need to respect the guy for what he is doing at 39 years old. He is averaging 12.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steal, 1.0 block and 37% 3FG per game. He is just so good in impacting the game. His archetype is actually the hardest to find in the PBA. Someone who can shoot three-pointers, who can defend five positions and very athletic.
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