Let me give the complete list of our top 100 players at the start of the 2020 season of the Philippine Basketball Association. In the past few weeks, I presented as a 2019 ranking but it is more appropriate to classify it as 2020 because we are now in the year 2020 and because presenting it as a preview for the new season is better.
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 boards.
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. LA Tenorio is not as valuable as the Tenorio that we know today without his ability to command and his 100% health status.
In case of ties, they will be ranked according to age with the youngest being the highest.
We will begin with the 100th to 76th rank players.
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Rank. Name of the Player. Scoring/Defense/Offense/Intangibles
#100 Aldrech Ramos 4/17/15/4
#99 Paul Zamar 9/12/13/9
#98 Matthew Ganuelas-Rosser 5/18/11/9
#97 Juami Tiongson 13/7/14/9
#96 Robbie Herndon 7/17/11/8.5
Aldrech Ramos may end up as one of the biggest what-ifs in the history of the league. His combination of rim protection and three-point shooting makes him one of the most unique players in the league but injuries have derailed him to the point that his value is almost zero.
After he revived his career in 2018 with Blackwater Elite, Paul may end up being a benchwarmer forever by joining the deepest team in the league.
Matthew Ganuelas-Rosser has the same conundrum as Paul Zamar as both of them have been part of a long list of quality players who cannot crack consistent playing time with the Beermen. Nevertheless, his defensive ability and offensive flexibility are two great components for a role player.
Juami Tiongson just cannot give up his spot in the PBA. For small point guards, lasting in the league for five seasons is already a great achievement. The biggest weapon of Juami remains to be his three-point shooting.
Herndon may have just found the team that will finally give him a much bigger role. That is the case when Alaska traded their starting point guard for you. Blessed with great physique, he just need to be more assertive on both ends of the court and he could be having a breakout 2020 season.
#95 Jerramy King 11/15/13/5
#94 Jeff Chan 8/11/16/10
#93 Jewel Ponferada 6/19/12/8.5
#92 Larry Fonacier 7/13/14/12
#91 Jay-R Reyes 11 /13/14/8
An injury may have derailed the rise of King into a starting guard position in the PBA. In the 2018 season, he averaged 14.9 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.2 steals, 43% FG and 35% 3FG per game. The question now is, will he ever get the opportunity again to produce those numbers?
Jeff Chan is still one of the most popular shooter in the league and he is doing that role with Ginebra. His defense and slashing to the basket are not being respected already but with his shooting, he should still get a few more years in the league.
Ponferada continue to work out a career in the PBA by being a consistent bruiser insider and by developing the other facets of his game. If his three-point shooting become consistent, Ponferada should remain a crucial role player for Rain or Shine.
Larry Fonacier is back with the coach that catapulted him into a role that he is still playing up to this day. He is still one of the deadliest shooters in the league and compared to Jeff, he can do more with the ball in his hands.
Jay-R Reyes is currently a free agent and he deserves to continue playing in the PBA. The guy is big and can defend the giants of the league and he even has an outside shot now.
#90 Glenn Khobuntin 9/18/12/7
#89 Kevin Ferrer 9/14/14/9
#88 Jarred Dillinger 7/16/15/8.5
#87 Justin Chua 12/15/12/8
#86 Nard Pinto 7/17/15/8
Have you heard about Glenn Khobuntin? He is an athletic forward for Columbian Dyip who averaged 7.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 44% FG and 37% 3FG per game this season.
Can you guess the age of Kevin Ferrer? Ferrer is only 26 years old and it seems like the PBA universe already looks at him as a finished product! He can still be the superstar that we hyped him to be as long as he gets back his groove as the main offensive initiator.
Jarred Dillinger may not have the same motor as before but the guy is as versatile as ever. He is not as effective but he can still do a lot of things that help his team win games.
Justin Chua is one of the Mr. midranger of the PBA. He has one of the most consistent 10-15 foot jumper in the league that even without a three-point shot, he can still help in spacing the floor.
John Pinto found his way into a new team. Unfortunately, Meralco Bolts may not give him the same amount of opportunity. With the rise of Amer, Newsome and Quinto, Pinto should better force his way out again or else, he will continue to be buried in their deep rotation.
#84 Chris Exciminiano 4/21/12/11
#83 Reden Celda 8/19/13/8
#82 Jonathan Grey 12/14/15/7
#81 Anthony Semerad 7/17/16/8.5
In my opinion, Abu Tratter entered the league with a little more hype than necessary. I never saw the potential that he could be a franchise-changing bigman in the league. Fortunately, he has what it takes to be a starting-caliber center.
Chris Exciminiano made his name on the offensive end of the court but as he gained experience, the guy's offense is getting better that he is arguably a positive at that end of the court. If he found a team that could give him a consistent role, I expect Chris to further rise in this ranking, next year.
Are you familiar with Reden Celda? He is a versatile wing who currently plays for the Columbian Dyip. I loved his defense and ability to create for others.
I felt bad for Grey who was having a very good season until a freakish knee injury ended his year. There is a good chance that Grey will not be the same once he returned and that is sad for a player with his many skills and athleticism.
Anthony Semerad plus Don Trollano can never match-up to the value of a Bobby Ray Parks. What Anthony could bring to the court is his 3-and-D skill set and versatility. He could defend any position, which is a unique weapon for any team.
#80 Marc Pingris 6/23/11/9
#79 Kelly Williams 9/19/11/10
#78 Roi Sumang 12/14/14/9
#77 Sonny Thoss 8/20/11/11
#76 Justin Melton 8/24/10/8
Marc Pingris is not one of the top 10 defenders anymore or as effective as before. But with his basketball IQ, he can still impact the game in a lot of ways.
Injuries and father time catch-up with Kelly this season. He only averaged 3.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 40% FG per game. He is still a top 80 player in the league because of his defense. He may not be a flexible defender but as a rim protector, he is doing great.
Roi Sumang entered the league as a spitfire scorer and he was doing that in the league. He is not efficient but every team needs someone like him who could enter the game anytime without any doubt about taking a shot.
According to Snow Badua, the Boss will finally call it a career. That is bad news for Alaska because Thoss is still their most reliable center at this point. Nevertheless, he will go down as one of the loyal soldiers in the history of the PBA, playing for a single franchise.
Justin Melton could end up as one of the most underrated defenders in this era. He is not as good as Chris Ross in terms of overall defense but if we are only talking about one-on-one defense, I will actually choose Melton over Ross.
#75 Anjo Caram 9/20/10/11
#74 Ed Daquioag 9/19/13/9
#73 Nico Salva 9/17/16/9
#72 Kevin Racal 8/18/17/8
#71 Nico Elorde 7/19/16/9.5
Caram is easily the best back-up point guard in the history of the Meralco franchise. Stabilizing the back-up point guard position has been a positive for the Bolts as Anjo is consistent in giving them gritty defense, good playmaking and timely scoring.
Ed Daquioag may have been overtaken by Rey Nambatac and Javee Mocon but the guy is still a talented wingman. He produced 7.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.8 steals and 40% FG per game. His efficiency remains to be his biggest problem.
Another very good role player in the camp of the Orange Nation is here. Salva has molded himself into one of the toughest defenders in the league with good enough level of skills on the offensive end.
Kevin Racal has developed such a reputation in the camp of Alaska. It seems like he has more haters now from the camp of Alaska than fans. Nonetheless, his 3-and-D capability makes him a viable part of a rotation. His efficiency may never catch-up for him to reach his star potential.
Nico Elorde and Anjo Caram are comparable in a way because both are small point guards. Elorde though has shown more consistency in handling starting level of playing time and he will be starting again in the upcoming 2020 PBA Philippine Cup because Robert Bollick is injured.
#70 Rafi Reavis 5/27/11/9
#69 James Yap 12/17/13/10
#68 Joe Devance 9/16/16/11
#67 Paolo Taha 10/22/12/8
#66 Carl Bryan Cruz 9/19/16/8
Rafi Reavis is no doubt the best defensive anchor in the league. Yes, even at 42 years old, Rafi is still the master in positioning, helping out his teammates and protecting the rim. With his length and still effective athleticism, I am still excited to witness his excellent defense for one more season.
Kudos to James Yap. At 37 years old, I actually expected him to be more of a name-player. Those players who are still employed in the PBA because of their name, not with what they provide in the court. James though is still a deserving role player. He can still score in bunches and his magnetic effect on defense still helps the spacing of his team.
You can say that Joe is still a top 70 player because of what he showed in the past few years, not what he did in this season. He is still one of the most skilled players in the country. He is one of the few PBA players that you can really say that he can do it all.
Paolo Taha is one of the underrated strong-bodied wingmen out there. He produced 7.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 44% FG and 26% 3FG per game. His defense is his best calling card as he is capable of defending imports.
I am still hoping that the injury bug will finally depart from CBC and that he finds a coach who will give him a consistent role. He is an excellent shooter, who is capable of making off-movement threes. With his size, he could be special.
#65 Garvo Lanete 10/17/18/8
#64 Philip Paniamogan 13/15/17/8
#63 Simon Enciso 13/15/18/7
#62 Rome dela Rosa 9/21/13/10.5
#61 Rodney Brondial 8/23/14/9
His three-point shooting ability has given Garvo enough time to linger in the PBA and I think, he finally found a coach that will give him the playing time. Even his defense has been much better than advertised this season.
Philip is easily the most underrated bucket-getter in the league. He doesn't lack confidence in taking any type of shot. He can hit pull-up three-pointers which is the deadliest shot in modern basketball.
Another guy who can make a pull-up long bomb is Simon. He will be playing for TNT next season and I am excited to see him be part of a shooting-heavy wing rotation. There is a good chance that his assist numbers will further increase next season because of the system of TNT.
The 6.2 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.7 steal, 47% FG and 35% 3FG per game statline of Rome Dela Rosa is not that impressive. But add his versatile defense and you have a very good role player in your hand.
I am not the biggest Rodney Brondial fan because he is undersized but the guy is truly a hardworker. He is very good at getting rebounds and his energy on both ends of the court helps a lot.
#60 Art Dela Cruz 11/17/20/6
#59 RJ Jazul 9/15/20/10.5
#58 Kenneth Ighalo 10/20/17/7.5
#57 Alex Mallari 11/18/16/10
#56 Bong Quinto 10/20/15/10
Here is a hot-take. If Art Dela Cruz is healthy and Scottie Thompson's production does not improve next season, Art could be getting more playing time than Scottie. If his shooting stabilizes, Art could easily be the lite-version of Joe Devance for coach Tim Cone in this decade.
RJ Jazul remains to be one of the most reliable shooters in the league. He shot 34% from beyond the arc this season. His defense though remains to be a problem and even his playmaking if he is playing the point guard position is not that effective.
Kenneth Ighalo is one more successful product of the coach Yeng Guaio factory. He is very good at getting rebounds and very effective in transition. Add his ability to defend multiple positions and you have an excellent role player in Kenneth.
I do not think Bong will end up as one of the top 10 greatest drafts steals in the history of the PBA but I still did not understand how they let him fall that much when he was actually at the peak of his hype at that type. A great defender who can do almost everything on offense is a hard guy to find.
#55 Jericho Cruz 14/15/17/9.5
#54 Sol Mercado 11/20/14/11
#53 Cliff Hodge 8/27/12/9
#52 Brian Heruela 10/21/14/11
#51 Maverick Ahanmisi 14/18/16/8
Jericho Cruz was supposed to be a consistent starter in the PBA but he ended up with one of the most interesting stories in the league. Nevertheless, he is still an effective scorer, with deceptive first step who can create for others.
Sol Mercado is easily one of the best lockdown defenders in the guard position. At this point in his career, his three-point shooting and defense is the most crucial part of his game. I am pretty sure he loves to return to Ginebra but I think Northport needs him more.
Cliff Hodge suffered a lot of injuries this season. Nevertheless, he is still one of the top 5 energy guys in the country. His effort on both ends can only be matched by few PBA players. Add his improving three-point shooting and I think Hodge will remain to be an effective player for a while.
I am really hoping Heruela will find a team who will trust him as their starting point guard. His time in San Miguel totally diminished his value but his skill-level is undoubtedly at the starting-level.
Maverick should have been much higher in this ranking if not for missing a lot of games due to injury. Nevertheless, I am excited to see him form a duo with Jeron Teng because both are big wings who can maul their way into the rim.
#50 Von Pessumal 10/18/19/9
#49 Kris Rosales 9/24/14/10
#48 Ryan Reyes 8/20/18/11.5
#47 Jackson Corpuz 14/18/18/8
#46 Jio Jalalon 8/26/14/10.5
It is easy to forget about Von because he is playing for the deepest team in the league but his playing time was just enough for me to see that he is an above-average defender and his shooting opens up a lot for his teammates. Rosales is another underrated player who found a big role in Rain or Shine as a lockdown defender. Ryan Reyes is not the Ryan Reyes of the early 2010s but he is still one of the most effective 3-and-D guards. Jackson Corpuz just found his way into a new team where Magnolia fans will surely appreciate his ability to find cracks on the defense, off the ball.
And then we have Jio Jalalon. I will not be shocked if you think #46 is pretty low for him. He has a very low score in his scoring because he is very inefficient. He shot 38% from the field and he shot lower than 40% in all three conferences. Even though he is very athletic and hardworking, his touch is very bad and his size makes him an easy defensive assignment.
#45 Javee Mocon 12/26/11/10
#44 Jayvee Casio 14/15/19/12
#43 Raymond Almazan 13/23/15/9
#42 JP Erram 16/24/14/6.5
#41 Don Trollano 11/23/15/11.5
There is no question now that Rain or Shine has appointed Mocon as one of the presents and the future of their franchise. The guy is on the same bloodline with Calvin Abueva but without the off-court issues. Casio is still one of the most reliable guards in the country. There is a reason why Alaska was more than willing to let go of Chris Banchero without getting a point guard back because Jayvee is still there.
Almazan's breakout was kind of too late. He struggled a lot in the first two conferences that it felt like Rain or Shine won the trade with Meralco, by a mile. I think JP can still provide more this upcoming season. I am really hoping coach Yeng will allow him to take more shots from beyond the arc because that will open up a lot of space for his team.
Don Trollano is the revelation this year. He was supposed to be a role player who cannot be a reliable starter but he became a solid starter for TNT. He was so good that he became the main piece in the package of TNT in getting Bobby Ray Parks.
#40 Allein Maliksi 21/13/19/9
#39 Jeron Teng 14/24/16/8
#38 Gabe Norwood 8/30/11/13.5
#37 JR Quinahan 15/19/16/13
#36 Jason Perkins 14/19/19/11
Maliksi remains to be one of the most underrated scorers in the league. With his length and with his underrated first step, Maliksi is very reliable in going to the basket and in making three-pointers. Jeron Teng is not as hyped as before, so I was not shocked that his 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game season was not appreciated that much.
JR has a good claim that he is one of the most underrated all-around players in the league. Once he developed a three-point shot, he became positive for their offense. Add the fact that he is an amazing team defender and his experience and you have one of the most complete bigman in the league. Perkins offensive abilities are not for highlights but he is so great, especially off-the-ball. Off-the-ball players like him are so much harder to find in the league.
#35 Mark Barroca 13/22/17/12.5
#34 Rashawn McCarthy 19/18/18/9.5
#33 Arwind Santos 16/28/15/7
#32 Mike Digregorio 17/16/23/10
#31 Vic Manuel 22/23/13/9
I am not the biggest Mark Barrroca fan because of his inefficiency but his defense and playmaking ability are still elite. Add his championship experience and leadership and a top 35 spot are just right for him. Yes, Rashawn is this high because of his production. Last season, he manufactured 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.3 three-pointers per game.
Arwind Santos could be the most hated guy on the top 35 list but what he does on the court is still positive for his team. Although this year, expect his age, 38, will finally catch-up to him. The value of Mike resides in his three-point shooting. With the pull of his three-point shot, his playmaking and his scoring are magnified.
Last but not least is Vic Manuel. Next to the giants, the Muscle Man is the most reliable scorer without a three-point shot. I am also a big fan of his defense. He can switch into guards and can shutdown bigman on the perimeter.
#30 Greg Slaughter 18/23/16/10
#29 Calvin Abueva 17/27/17/6
#28 Robert Bolick 20/20/17/10
#27 Mac Belo 17/21/19/10.5
#26 Baser Amer 19/17/19/14
Even though Greg is the tallest and biggest player in the league, his current skill level can only push him at this spot. Although, we have seen in the past that you can actually build an elite offense and a very good defense around him. Maybe, his next team can do that?
Even though The Beast is still one of the best in terms of filling up the stat-sheet. I cannot give him that much higher score in scoring and offense because of his inefficiency and a high number of turnovers. I hope his suspension will also make him more controlled with his playing style.
Unfortunately for the mustache guy of the Neon Nation, he ended up getting a bad injury last season. Nevertheless, his 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 39% FG per game is a great start for Bolick.
Mac Belo is not a bust. Yes, his numbers are not as amazing as the others but his overall skillset is pretty good. He is reliable on everything.
I understand if what Amer did in the finals of the 2019 Governors' Cup was pretty bad but the guy is actually pretty good. His defense has been an underrated part of his game. He is now deserving to be called a 3-and-D point guard.
The biggest selling point of LA Tenorio is not his shooting. It is not his scoring. It is not his elite handle. It is not even his playmaking. It is his health and his playmaking. He has been the healthiest player to ever play in the PBA, holding the record of longest consecutive games, played. His leadership is also well-known. So, if they tell you that it will be hard to find another LA Tenorio. Those are the reasons.
Am I down who is feeling that Belga has been playing in the PBA forever? Believe it or not, he is still only 33 years old. He is still one of the most physical bruisers in the league with a three-point shot. Last season, he averaged 8.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 40% FG per game.
Moala Tautuaa is now in the spotlight. That is the result of the gigantic injury that June Mar Fajardo suffered. It is time for Mo to prove his worth to the San Miguel franchise. I expect him to do well because I actually see him as a much better defender than Fajardo. On offense, coach Leo Austria just needs to make adjustments because Mo is a different beast compared to the Kraken.
Kiefer will surely be much higher in this ranking in 2020 as long as he does not miss that much number of games. Kiefer led the league in assists in the 2019 Governors' Cup, exhibiting the fact that he could be the best playmaking point guard in the PBA. Let us see if he can do that again this Philippine Cup, especially with the additional scoring responsibility because there are no imports to help them out.
Rey Nambatac is one of the hidden young studs in the country. He is only 26 years old but he already produced 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 assist, 45% FG and 40% 3FG per game. He has a pretty good case of being the best 3-and-D point guard in the league but I think, only a few are aware of that. For his junior year, it is time for him to push this team to the semis and let us see what he will do there.
Chris Banchero may end up sliding from this ranking if the guard depth of Magnolia, remains the same. I see him as one of the most dynamic passers in the league. His ability to hit passes on the move and make tight ones are incredible to watch. He is also passable on the defensive end and can score when he needs to.
At 33 years old, we can say that father time is slowly catching up with Jayson. Is he still one of the top 5 point guards in the league? Yes, but he could be out of those slots next year because there are young point guards out there who will only get better. Nonetheless, Jayson's first step is still one of the quickest in the league and with his pull-up shooting, his offense is still as dangerous as ever.
It is hard to notice it but Ian just had a career season. He averaged his career-best in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game. Even though he is not the strongest inside, he has the footwork to work his way around. His ability to switch against perimeter players is also underrated in the league.
I think Ray Parks has been underrated in his time in the PBA. That is because of the perception of the PBA that he is overhyped because he waited a long time before entering the PBA. You should open your eyes, Ray is as good as CJ Perez now, although CJ has a higher potential. Parks can already hit pull-up three-pointers and his defense is already very good.
There is no doubt in my mind that Scottie Thompson is one of the most unique players to ever grace the league. He is one of the top 5 rebounders in the league and he is a guard. His playmaking ability is also comparable to elite guards. And his defense? Easily one of the best, both off-ball and on-ball. Unfortunately, his efficiency and his lack of improvement throughout the year have soured a lot of Ginebra fans and his status in this ranking.
I can make a case for Newsome as the best playmaker in the league. He makes advance reads multiple times every game. He can make passes against tight defenses. He can breakdown defenses to create for his teammates. He can score on three levels. He is not negative on the defensive end. His rebounding is fine. In short, he can make a case as the most complete wing player in the league.
I really love the Cabagnot-Ross duo because what they provide to San Miguel are extremes of each other. Cabagnot is the scorer who can hit shots on three levels. He can pull-up from the midrange and from beyond the arc. His playmaking is very good. And of course, he is very capable of hitting big-time shots. He was called The Crunchman for a reason.
Chris Ross is a defensive genius. He can lockdown any guard in the league. He can even guard imports. Other than that, his passing accuracy is beyond elite. One thing that excites me about Ross is the fact that his best season could still be coming because his three-point shooting accuracy is on the way up and that will open up his game, much more.
Troy's value in the eyes of the fans is underrated because he is not the scorer type and he doesn't usually make highlight plays. What he provides is a versatile defense. He can switch to guards and can also stand against centers, even the giants. On offense, he is a reliable three-point shooter.
He is very fluid on offense, making the right plays with the right motion. I hope, the next step that he takes is to further magnify his off-ball effect by improving his off-movement shooting. Just imagine him running through screens and finding the open spot from beyond the arc because he is already average in hitting those types of shots. How can they stop him?
Scoring is still the holy grail of basketball. Terrence Romeo remains to be the best guard in doing it. Yes, he may need to make 100 dribbles before he takes shots but at least, any shot that he takes is a good shot. With Fajardo's absence in the upcoming season, I am really interested to see how Romeo will react. Will he return to his old self and eat up shots after shots?
#40 Allein Maliksi 21/13/19/9
#39 Jeron Teng 14/24/16/8
#38 Gabe Norwood 8/30/11/13.5
#37 JR Quinahan 15/19/16/13
#36 Jason Perkins 14/19/19/11
Maliksi remains to be one of the most underrated scorers in the league. With his length and with his underrated first step, Maliksi is very reliable in going to the basket and in making three-pointers. Jeron Teng is not as hyped as before, so I was not shocked that his 11.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game season was not appreciated that much.
JR has a good claim that he is one of the most underrated all-around players in the league. Once he developed a three-point shot, he became positive for their offense. Add the fact that he is an amazing team defender and his experience and you have one of the most complete bigman in the league. Perkins offensive abilities are not for highlights but he is so great, especially off-the-ball. Off-the-ball players like him are so much harder to find in the league.
#35 Mark Barroca 13/22/17/12.5
#34 Rashawn McCarthy 19/18/18/9.5
#33 Arwind Santos 16/28/15/7
#32 Mike Digregorio 17/16/23/10
#31 Vic Manuel 22/23/13/9
I am not the biggest Mark Barrroca fan because of his inefficiency but his defense and playmaking ability are still elite. Add his championship experience and leadership and a top 35 spot are just right for him. Yes, Rashawn is this high because of his production. Last season, he manufactured 14.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 2.3 three-pointers per game.
Arwind Santos could be the most hated guy on the top 35 list but what he does on the court is still positive for his team. Although this year, expect his age, 38, will finally catch-up to him. The value of Mike resides in his three-point shooting. With the pull of his three-point shot, his playmaking and his scoring are magnified.
Last but not least is Vic Manuel. Next to the giants, the Muscle Man is the most reliable scorer without a three-point shot. I am also a big fan of his defense. He can switch into guards and can shutdown bigman on the perimeter.
#30 Greg Slaughter 18/23/16/10
#29 Calvin Abueva 17/27/17/6
#28 Robert Bolick 20/20/17/10
#27 Mac Belo 17/21/19/10.5
#26 Baser Amer 19/17/19/14
Even though Greg is the tallest and biggest player in the league, his current skill level can only push him at this spot. Although, we have seen in the past that you can actually build an elite offense and a very good defense around him. Maybe, his next team can do that?
Even though The Beast is still one of the best in terms of filling up the stat-sheet. I cannot give him that much higher score in scoring and offense because of his inefficiency and a high number of turnovers. I hope his suspension will also make him more controlled with his playing style.
Unfortunately for the mustache guy of the Neon Nation, he ended up getting a bad injury last season. Nevertheless, his 13.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 39% FG per game is a great start for Bolick.
Mac Belo is not a bust. Yes, his numbers are not as amazing as the others but his overall skillset is pretty good. He is reliable on everything.
I understand if what Amer did in the finals of the 2019 Governors' Cup was pretty bad but the guy is actually pretty good. His defense has been an underrated part of his game. He is now deserving to be called a 3-and-D point guard.
THE TOP 25
The biggest selling point of LA Tenorio is not his shooting. It is not his scoring. It is not his elite handle. It is not even his playmaking. It is his health and his playmaking. He has been the healthiest player to ever play in the PBA, holding the record of longest consecutive games, played. His leadership is also well-known. So, if they tell you that it will be hard to find another LA Tenorio. Those are the reasons.
Am I down who is feeling that Belga has been playing in the PBA forever? Believe it or not, he is still only 33 years old. He is still one of the most physical bruisers in the league with a three-point shot. Last season, he averaged 8.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 40% FG per game.
Moala Tautuaa is now in the spotlight. That is the result of the gigantic injury that June Mar Fajardo suffered. It is time for Mo to prove his worth to the San Miguel franchise. I expect him to do well because I actually see him as a much better defender than Fajardo. On offense, coach Leo Austria just needs to make adjustments because Mo is a different beast compared to the Kraken.
Rey Nambatac is one of the hidden young studs in the country. He is only 26 years old but he already produced 10.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.9 assist, 45% FG and 40% 3FG per game. He has a pretty good case of being the best 3-and-D point guard in the league but I think, only a few are aware of that. For his junior year, it is time for him to push this team to the semis and let us see what he will do there.
Chris Banchero may end up sliding from this ranking if the guard depth of Magnolia, remains the same. I see him as one of the most dynamic passers in the league. His ability to hit passes on the move and make tight ones are incredible to watch. He is also passable on the defensive end and can score when he needs to.
At 33 years old, we can say that father time is slowly catching up with Jayson. Is he still one of the top 5 point guards in the league? Yes, but he could be out of those slots next year because there are young point guards out there who will only get better. Nonetheless, Jayson's first step is still one of the quickest in the league and with his pull-up shooting, his offense is still as dangerous as ever.
I think Ray Parks has been underrated in his time in the PBA. That is because of the perception of the PBA that he is overhyped because he waited a long time before entering the PBA. You should open your eyes, Ray is as good as CJ Perez now, although CJ has a higher potential. Parks can already hit pull-up three-pointers and his defense is already very good.
There is no doubt in my mind that Scottie Thompson is one of the most unique players to ever grace the league. He is one of the top 5 rebounders in the league and he is a guard. His playmaking ability is also comparable to elite guards. And his defense? Easily one of the best, both off-ball and on-ball. Unfortunately, his efficiency and his lack of improvement throughout the year have soured a lot of Ginebra fans and his status in this ranking.
I can make a case for Newsome as the best playmaker in the league. He makes advance reads multiple times every game. He can make passes against tight defenses. He can breakdown defenses to create for his teammates. He can score on three levels. He is not negative on the defensive end. His rebounding is fine. In short, he can make a case as the most complete wing player in the league.
Chris Ross is a defensive genius. He can lockdown any guard in the league. He can even guard imports. Other than that, his passing accuracy is beyond elite. One thing that excites me about Ross is the fact that his best season could still be coming because his three-point shooting accuracy is on the way up and that will open up his game, much more.Troy's value in the eyes of the fans is underrated because he is not the scorer type and he doesn't usually make highlight plays. What he provides is a versatile defense. He can switch to guards and can also stand against centers, even the giants. On offense, he is a reliable three-point shooter.
He is very fluid on offense, making the right plays with the right motion. I hope, the next step that he takes is to further magnify his off-ball effect by improving his off-movement shooting. Just imagine him running through screens and finding the open spot from beyond the arc because he is already average in hitting those types of shots. How can they stop him?
Scoring is still the holy grail of basketball. Terrence Romeo remains to be the best guard in doing it. Yes, he may need to make 100 dribbles before he takes shots but at least, any shot that he takes is a good shot. With Fajardo's absence in the upcoming season, I am really interested to see how Romeo will react. Will he return to his old self and eat up shots after shots?
To box him as a 3-and-D player will be an understatement to what Marcio Lassiter can really do. The guy produced 11.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.0 steal, 2.2 3PM and 35% 3FG per game in 2019. He is not merely a role-playing shooter because his pull-up jumper is lethal not only in the midrange but also from beyond the arc.
Of course, I will not consider him as a top scorer but he is more than capable of being the ace player for a period of time in a game. He is not only a very good passer but he can also make plays for others. And of course, his defense is still as reliable as ever. Although, in my evaluation, it has regressed this season. It could be the result of the several injuries that he has been suffering for a while.
Even though CJ Perez took home the title for scoring in 2019, Matthew was as effective as ever in romping up points. He was 6th, 3rd and 2nd in the Philippine Cup, Commissioner's Cup and Governors' Cup, respectively.
Overall, Wright ended up averaging 18.9 points, 4.2 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals, 38% FG and 34% 3FG per game last season. He is underrated in a way because some critiques point to the fact that he has a lot of usage in a very bad team. The fact is, his skill level is really high. His first step is very underrated for a wingman.
This season, I also observed that he has been putting more effort into his defense. He has been forcing his way more against screens and that should make his defense, grow. Lastly, he is one of the deadliest clutch scorers in the league.
To say that Sean Anthony is underrated is kinda underrated because we all know it but still, we do not recognize him as one of the top 10 best players in the league. The foundation of his game is his aggressiveness which is pretty obvious in his rebounding. He was a top 10 rebounder in each conference. That aggressiveness is also clear on his defense, especially in forcing turnovers. Chris Ross has been known as the king of steals of this generation but last year, Sean finally got the crown with 2.4 per game against the 2.2 of Chris.
And his offense? Just look at his 2019 statistical line of 16.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 41% FG and 29% 3FG per game. Yes, his efficiency is suspect but the guy posted a higher offensive rating than more popular offensive players like CJ Perez and Matthew Wright.
Entering the season, I did not expect CJ to be a top 10 player right away, and he ended up as #7. The biggest reason is, of course, his scoring. He was the top scorer for the season at 20.8 points per game. What made that amazing is his FG% of 44.7%, which is higher than that of Matthew Wright, Jayson Castro and Paul Lee. He is so efficient because he is unstoppable in driving to the rim because of his quick first step, strong body and ability to score against contact.
Other than his scoring, CJ is also well rounded as he averaged 7.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.9 steals and 33% 3FG per game. He is not the Baby Beast if he is not a monster in getting rebounds. He is not the Baby Beast if he cannot wreak havoc and create open looks for his teammates. Actually, he could be more deserving now of The Beast monicker because his game is more complete than that of Calvin Abueva.
Yes. In terms of skillset and overall theoretical impact, Standhardinger should be #2. But of course, we need to see that in a full season. Nevertheless, he was so great in the Governors'Cup, where he ended up as the Best Player of the Conference, that I pushed his ratings enough for him to be at #6. In that conference, he produced 22.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 52% FG per game.
His game is not that beautiful to watch. He doesn't have the pretty post moves of a Ranidel de Ocampo and Reynel Hugnatan. He doesn't have a consistent short jumper like that of Sonny Thoss. What he does is to power his way to his spots and attempt awkward looking shots that find the bottom of the net, more than 50% of the time.
I also want to praise his screening. It is an underrated art in the game of basketball but it does give a lot of breathing room for his teammates. And of course, he has the average handle and accurate passing to create for his teammates.
It seems like the fans of Ginebra have forgotten about Japeth Aguilar because of their focus on their 2019 acquisition, Stanley Pringle, the stagnant Scottie Thompson and the soft Greg Slaughter. Japeth did not really show much improvement in term of skillset but coach Tim Cone has been emphasizing him more in their system. That helped him got the 2019 PBA Gov. Cup Finals MVP recognition.
Aguilar produced 14.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 56% FG and 1.6 blocks per game. He doesn't have the most eye-popping numbers but his overall impact is clear in the Advance stats. He is +8.8 in the court. It means that per 100 minutes, his team outscores the opponent by 8.8 points per game.
He is an excellent off-ball player which I value as much as the on-ball types of players because of supply and demand. There are way more on-ball players, guys who need to handle the ball to be effective, than those who could impact the offense without it. He is great at cutting to the basket and finding the right scoring position.
And of course, defensively, he is one of the best rim protectors in the league. He is great at maximizing his length and athleticism to block and deter shots at the rim.
Is Paul Lee the best scorer in the league? No. Is he the best shooter in the league? No. Is he the best playmaker in the league? No. He is not the best at any of those three but he is on the conversation for all of those three distinctions.
His 14.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 2.1 three-pointers made per game is not that eye-popping for his rank. If you convert that though to 36 minutes of play, you will get 18.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.7 three-pointers made per game.
He was the most effective three-point shooter last season. He can pull-up as far as 32 feet and be efficient enough to be respected. That opens up his game. His first step is effective because of the threat that he can rise on any spot in the court and make the shot.
Defensively, he is respectable. He can defend 80% of the guards in the league. With his size, he was an effective team defender.
I understand if you think that I have a lot of explaining to do. Pogoy feels like the third-wheel to Troy Rosario and Jayson Castro last season. The reality is, he just did not handle the ball that much but he was actually their best player. He manufactured 14.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.8 steals, 44% FG, 35% 3FG and 2.3 three-pointers made per game.
Yes, his points and rebounds per game are quite similar to Paul but you exchanged the two assists differences for more steals and way better efficiency. In short, it is not wrong to say that he is a more efficient Paul Lee, in terms of scoring. His first step is not as effective as Paul Lee. What he has though is an elite floater. With that floater, he can score over taller defenders and against long arms at his face.
He is also a pretty unique defender. If you watch him play, you will not judge him as an aggressive defender but he is very good at forcing a lot of turnovers. That helps him overcome some of his deficiencies in terms of quickness. He is also persistent in going through screens and even though his leaping ability is not that great, he can actually protect the rim.
And of course, he is the most feared three-point shooter in the league right now. He showed that when he punched ten long bombs against Brgy. Ginebra last season.
We finally saw him play for a loaded team and he has proven to be as good as what we saw on Northport Batang Pier. This season, he averaged 17.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.5 steals, 46% FG, 35% 3FG and 2.4 three-pointers made per game. I gave him the highest points in scoring because he is an elite-level scorer in the paint, in the midrange and from beyond the arc. That is the result of having a super quick first step and the ability to hit pull-up shots.
With his quick first step, he can easily find a good open shot. Actually, he doesn't need to be open that much. He is more than capable of hitting shots against outstretch arms. And if he is off-the-ball, he can still gravitate the defense because of how good of a scorer and a shooter, he is. I love it when he takeover games and just score against any defender.
His playmaking is also elite. He is not the flashiest passer in the league but the pull of his scoring helps him a lot in opening up shots for his teammates.
With his good physique, he is also good at boxing out opponents and securing rebounds. Defensively, his athleticism and his good physique help him handle any size of guards and even wings. Coach Tim Cone even trusted him to lockdown imports.
Overall, Stanley Pringle is the most complete guard in the league right now and I think, it is not even close.
It sucks that the current MVP streak of The Kraken will end due to injury. I am super excited about the 2020 season, primarily because of the MVP race that should have been led by the battle of Fajardo and Standhardinger. That is not the case now.
Fajardo produced 18.9 points, 13.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 57% FG per game. He was the 2nd best scorer this season with 12% advantage in terms of FG%! That is a huge difference. He is basically hitting 6 of every 10 shots that he takes. He has good accuracy in terms of his short jumper and of course, he can force his shots at the paint.
He was the #1 rebounder during the season. He was #1 in the three conferences and it was not close. He was always ahead by almost two rebounds against the next one. With him on the court, San Miguel is always controlling the game.
Lastly, his defense is pretty good. His blocks per game is lower than that of Japeth Aguilar but he is as effective as Japeth in deterring shots because of good positioning and his size. What makes him special on the defensive end is his off-ball defense. He is good at making sure that the center that he is defending, either import or local, will not reach a comfortable position on the court.
Overall, Fajardo is the best player in the league and I do not see that changing for a while.
RAMON "El Presidente" is the GOAT.
ReplyDeleteRAMON "El Presidente" FERNANDEZ is the GOAT.
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