PBA Controversy: SMB GOAT is not LIKED by other players?

 

The PBA's Best Player of the Conference award for the Governors' Cup brought a fascinating shift in voting dynamics. June Mar Fajardo took home his 11th BPC award, yet the most intriguing detail was the low number of votes he received from players—just 48. By comparison, Japeth Aguilar, who finished second overall, received 77 votes, and Scottie Thompson came close to Fajardo with 47. Statistically, Fajardo dominated, leading the BPC race through his production and receiving the most media votes, so his player vote total suggests an underlying shift in sentiment.

One might wonder if players are simply fatigued by Fajardo’s near-monopolistic hold on the BPC award over the past decade, almost a "MVP fatigue" of sorts. With eight league MVP titles under his belt, players might feel that his accomplishments have become so expected that they’re willing to reward other names. Another angle: perhaps Fajardo’s standing among his peers isn’t as unassailable as the media and fans perceive. Whatever the case, this shift in voting hints at a changing perception of Fajardo's dominance in the league.

At the same time, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also brought an edge to this awards night. The TNT import narrowly edged Justin Brownlee for Best Import, topping statistical and media tallies, with Brownlee winning the player vote. Hollis-Jefferson’s aggressive, two-way playstyle was crucial to TNT’s run, making him a fitting challenger to Brownlee’s longstanding PBA import reputation. Hollis-Jefferson’s win hints that he may be defining a new kind of "dominant import" model—one who combines athletic prowess with reliable scoring and fierce defensive intensity, fitting TNT's fast, transition-oriented play style.

It’s tempting to think Hollis-Jefferson’s success and Fajardo’s wavering player support signal a subtle generational shift in the PBA. While Fajardo remains San Miguel's key piece, Hollis-Jefferson embodies the new-age import many teams seek—athletic, adaptive, and fiercely competitive. It raises the question: as player tastes and strategies evolve, will Fajardo’s individual achievements continue to stand at the top, or will more dynamic imports like Hollis-Jefferson start to reshape what dominance means in the PBA?