Who is the Best Center in PBA History? Top 5 Legendary Players Revealed
Having spent over two decades analyzing basketball dynamics across various leagues, I've always found the center position particularly fascinating—it's where raw power meets strategic finesse. When we dive into the Philippine Basketball Association's rich history, the debate about who truly deserves the title of greatest center becomes incredibly nuanced. While researching this piece, I stumbled upon an interesting parallel in tennis—WTA 125 tournaments feature two-round qualifiers and 32-woman fields with total prize money at US$125,000, where champions earn US$8,400. This structured tier system reminds me how PBA centers have evolved through different eras, each bringing unique value that's sometimes hard to quantify through statistics alone.
Let me start with my personal favorite—Ramon Fernandez. The man was an absolute phenomenon, and I'd argue he's the most complete center the PBA has ever seen. Standing at 6'4", he wasn't the tallest, but his basketball IQ was off the charts. Fernandez holds the record for most MVP awards with four, and his career spanned an incredible 20 seasons. What many forget is that he averaged 26.2 points per game during the 1984 season while grabbing 13.3 rebounds—numbers that would dominate even in today's faster-paced game. I've watched countless archival recordings of his games, and his footwork in the post was simply mesmerizing. He had this uncanny ability to read defenses two moves ahead, something modern analytics would probably categorize as "defensive disruption creation."
Then there's Abet Guidaben, Fernandez's longtime rival. Their battles in the 80s defined an entire generation of PBA basketball. Guidaben was slightly taller at 6'5" but played with more physicality—he'd regularly put up 20-point, 15-rebound nights while committing what I'd generously call "aggressive fouls." His championship pedigree is undeniable though—he won 9 PBA titles compared to Fernandez's 19, but context matters here. Guidaben played during an era where imports frequently dominated the center position, making his consistent production even more impressive. I've spoken with former teammates who described his practice habits as legendary—he'd stay after everyone left, working on hook shots from every angle imaginable.
The conversation inevitably turns to June Mar Fajardo, the modern giant who's rewriting the record books. At 6'10", he's the tallest among our contenders and currently holds 6 MVP awards—already surpassing Fernandez's total. I've had the privilege of watching Fajardo develop from a raw talent into the most dominant force in contemporary PBA basketball. His statistics are staggering—he once grabbed 29 rebounds in a single game during the 2017 Commissioner's Cup. But what truly sets him apart is his efficiency—he consistently shoots above 55% from the field despite being the focal point of every defense he faces. Some critics argue he benefits from today's less physical style, but having studied the footage extensively, I'd counter that his footwork and positioning would make him elite in any era.
We can't ignore the contributions of Asi Taulava, who brought a unique international flair to the position. The man was an absolute physical specimen—6'9" of pure muscle with incredible stamina. I remember covering games where he'd play 45 minutes while still dunking aggressively in the fourth quarter. His career longevity is remarkable—he played professionally until age 46, averaging double-double figures well into his 40s. Taulava's impact transcended statistics though—he revolutionized how Filipino centers approached conditioning. Before his arrival, it was rare to see big men leading fast breaks, but Taulava made that part of his regular arsenal.
My dark horse candidate is Benjie Paras—the only player to win both MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season. At 6'5", he was undersized for the center position but made up for it with incredible athleticism and timing. Paras had this explosive vertical leap that allowed him to compete against much taller opponents—I've personally witnessed him block shots against 6'10" imports that seemed physically impossible. His 1999 MVP season was particularly special—he averaged 18.3 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks while shooting 52% from the field. What many forget is that Paras also developed a reliable mid-range jumper later in his career, expanding his game beyond traditional center duties.
Comparing these legends across different eras presents challenges similar to evaluating tennis players across various tournament tiers. Just as WTA 125 events have specific structures—32-player draws with $125,000 total purses—each PBA era had distinct competitive landscapes that shaped how centers could dominate. Fernandez's versatility, Guidaben's physicality, Fajardo's unprecedented size advantage, Taulava's athletic revolution, and Paras's explosive power all represent different answers to the same fundamental question—what makes a center truly great?
If you put a gun to my head and forced me to choose, I'd have to go with June Mar Fajardo as the greatest—his combination of size, skill, and sustained dominance is something we've never seen before in Philippine basketball. But what makes this debate so compelling is that reasonable minds can disagree. Fernandez's all-around brilliance, Guidaben's championship mentality, Taulava's revolutionary impact, and Paras's unique athletic achievements all present compelling cases. The beauty of basketball is that greatness isn't determined by statistics alone—it's woven through championships, cultural impact, and those magical moments that transcend the sport itself.