QUEZON CITY – San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo has been awarded his seventh Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Most Valuable Player (MVP) title at the Leo Awards held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
According to Philippines News Agency, Fajardo secured the MVP award with a total of 2,248 points, which included statistical points (SPs) and votes from players and the media. Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson, the previous year’s MVP, concluded the race in third place with 1,539 points, narrowly missing out to his teammate Christian Standhardinger, who finished second with 1,559 points. CJ Perez claimed the fourth spot with 1,177 points.
Despite Thompson leading in player votes, Fajardo’s dominance in SPs and media votes clinched his victory, marking his seventh MVP recognition after a streak from 2014 to 2019. Fajardo, approaching his 34th birthday, has been an integral part of San Miguel’s success, with the team securing at least one championship title each season during his prior MVP years.
The PBA awards also celebrated the First Team, which included Fajardo and the four MVP finalists, as well as the Mythical Second Team and other individual honorees. Converge’s Justin Arana was named Rookie of the Year, while Ginebra’s new addition Maverick Ahanmisi received the Most Improved Player award. The All-Defensive Team and the recipient of the Samboy Lim Sportsmanship Award were also announced, acknowledging the standout defensive and fair play contributions of the players this season.