MANILA — Junemar Fajardo became the third player to win the PBA Most Valuable Player award for the fourth time as he was crowned the 2017 season’s top player in the Leo Awards at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Friday night.
The 6-foot-10 center got a total of 2,686 points from the stats, the player votes, the media votes, and the Commissioner’s office’s votes, more than enough to beat fellow San Miguel Beermen Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross.
Fajardo joined an elite group that includes Alvin Patrimonio and Mon Fernandez as the only players to win four MVP’s.
Fajardo is the fastest to do so, getting the plum in just his fifth season and doing so in consecutive fashion.
Fajardo, Cabagnot, and Ross headline the Mythical First Team with another SMB player in Arwind Santos.
Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar is the only non-SMB player in the first team.
On the other hand, Barangay Ginebra players LA Tenorio and Joe Devance led the Mythical Second Team with TNT’s Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams and Meralco’s Cliff Hodge.
Despite missing out on the MVP award, Ross walked away as the big winner of the Leo Awards as he won the Most Improved Player and the Defensive Player of the Year awards while headlining the All-Defensive Team.
Joining Ross in the All-Defensive Team are Fajardo, Aguilar, Star rookie Jio Jalalon, and Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood.
Norwood was named as the winner of the Sportsmanship Award.Meanwhile, TNT’s RR Pogoy edged Jalalon and Phoenix’s Matt Wright for the Rookie of the Year award. (PNA)
