Unchanged by success, June Mar Fajardo stays true to self

MANILA, Philippines – It would have been understandable if June Mar Fajardo got cocky. Even for a little bit.

The San Miguel big man, after all, has earned it.

Nine season MVP awards, 10 Mythical First Team selections, 12 championships, and 13 Best Player of the Conference plums, on top of other notable honors that make up an extensive list of his career achievements, have put Fajardo in the conversation as the greatest player in PBA history.

And yet, the Cebuano remains the same unassuming guy who entered the league in 2012.

“The only thing that’s changed is his hair. I know for sure he’s probably had 15 different hairstyles. Other than that, he’s been the same gentle giant,” said teammate Marcio Lassiter, who joined the Beermen the same year the team drafted Fajardo as the No. 1 overall pick. 

“He’s goofy, he’s funny. But he’s down to earth. You don’t really see that. When you’re goofy, you kind want the attention. But with him, he can shed the light.”

Fajardo’s arrival breathed new life to a proud franchise that has dominated the league over the last decade.

After going without a Philippine Cup title for 10 consecutive seasons prior Fajardo’s addition, San Miguel captured an unprecedented five straight All-Filipino crowns from 2014 to 2019. No other team in PBA history has won it more than three times.

During the same span, Fajardo broke the record for most MVP wins, which legends Ramon Fernandez and Alvin Patrimonio previously shared with four each, as he already bagged his sixth by the end of only his seventh season in the league.

The awards have not stopped coming.

In the recently concluded Philippine Cup, Fajardo claimed a record fifth Finals MVP plum and became the first-ever recipient of the Ramon Fernandez Trophy as he led the Beermen to a successful title repeat. 

Winning so much can get one full of himself, but not Fajardo.

“I never let my accolades and awards get to my head. Because when you do, there’s a tendency to become boastful. When I receive awards, I accept them, I’m grateful for them, and I keep them in my heart. I cherish them and I keep them in my heart, but in my mind, I never think about having won anything,” said Fajardo in Filipino.  

“Every conference, every season, I always think to myself, ‘I hope I can get my first championship.’ I never let them get to my head. I don’t want to be arrogant.” 

That blank-slate approach has allowed Fajardo to avoid complacency and continue expanding his game even as he enters the twilight of his career at 36.

When Fajardo won his most recent MVP last season, he posted career highs in rebounds (15.1) and assists (3.1). His average of 19.2 points was also his highest since the 2017-2018 season, when he was just 29 years old. 

Fajardo’s mix of dominance and modesty remind teammate Chris Ross of NBA great Tim Duncan, whose low-key personality marked two decades of sustained success by the San Antonio Spurs that produced five championships. 

“He’s the most unselfish player that I’ve ever played with. When someone like that is selfless and super unselfish, everyone else has to follow,” said Ross. 

“Me, growing up in San Antonio, Texas, and being a big Spurs fans, it’s a lot of similarities to Tim Duncan, as far as not wanting the spotlight, being able to be coached, wanting your teammates to succeed. He has a lot of qualities that Tim Duncan has.”

“Without him being that way, we don’t win all these championship because he wants to share the spotlight, he wants to share the ball. He’s really the standard.” 

Learned it from mama and papa

Fajardo points to his parents for the way he is today. 

Although their family did not have much growing up, with Fajardo initially pursuing basketball as a means to get a college scholarship at the University of Cebu, he was rich in lessons from father Bonifacio and late mother Marites.

“They told me to stay humble no matter how far I go in life, to show others respect, and to never judge and never put others down,” Fajardo said. 

“I’m thankful to my parents even though we were poor. We came from poverty, but my parents stuck with each other so that they can raise me and my sibling properly and discipline us the right way,” he added. “It really starts with the family.” 

Fajardo’s upbringing shows in the way he presents himself.

While he has all the money in the world to dress himself with fancy clothes, Fajardo wears his own clothing brand, Kraken Apparel. 

He also drives the same Toyota FJ Cruiser given to him by San Miguel big boss Ramon S. Ang when he joined the team 14 years ago. 

Aside from his affinity for gaming, Fajardo said his guilty pleasure is investing in the stock market, cryptocurrency, and real estate. 

“I’m comfortable in my own skin. I don’t want to fit in with others,” said Fajardo. “When you try to fit in with other people, it feels like you need their approval. I don’t need anyone’s approval. I’m happy with who I am.” 

“When there’s no practice, I’m just chilling at home, playing online games, watching movies, eating by myself with my dog. I’m happy doing all that. I just stay in my lane. I don’t compete with anyone else.”

Fajardo never forgets where he came from. 

Every after conference or season, Fajardo is always itching to fly back to Cebu to get much-needed downtime before he plunges back to action as he also serves Gilas Pilipinas. 

“He’s a simple guy. He loves the game, he loves to relax. He loves fishing and being out on the water. He loves Cebu. You see it in everything that he does,” said former national team captain Gabe Norwood, who played with Fajardo in the FIBA World Cup in 2014 and 2019. 

“Some guys don’t completely come into the league and kind of appreciate all that they have and he’s not one of those guys. You can tell he appreciates the opportunity to go out and play, to be with his teammates and his friends, and ultimately, he loves being home and representing where he’s from.”

For someone like Fajardo who probably has it all, longtime San Miguel utility staff Gani Malindog has his fingers crossed that the star finally meets the love of his life. 

“I hope he finds someone who will take care of him,” said Malindog. “We’re not getting any younger.” – Rappler.com