I still remember the first time I walked into the Araneta Coliseum back in 2018. The smell of polished wood floors mixed with that distinct arena scent - popcorn, sweat, and anticipation. I was there to cover what would become one of San Miguel's most memorable championship runs, and as I watched June Mar Fajardo dominate the paint with that quiet confidence of his, it struck me how this franchise has consistently produced basketball legends. That evening, watching the sea of red and white jerseys in the stands, I started mentally compiling what would eventually become my personal list of the top 10 San Miguel PBA players who dominated the basketball court throughout the decades.
There's something magical about watching a San Miguel team when they're in rhythm. I recall this particular play where Arwind Santos, with his spider-like limbs, swatted a shot into the third row, then casually jogged back like he'd just taken out the trash. That's the kind of effortless dominance I'm talking about. These players didn't just play basketball - they owned the court, they understood the game at a level that sometimes felt unfair to opponents. I've been covering Philippine basketball for fifteen years now, and I can tell you with certainty that San Miguel's legacy isn't built on championships alone - though they have plenty, 28 and counting as of last season - but on the extraordinary individuals who wore that iconic jersey.
Speaking of extraordinary, I had coffee with former player Gomez de Liaño last month, and our conversation naturally drifted to his San Miguel days. His eyes lit up when he mentioned his former teammates. "You know," he said, stirring his latte, "Gomez de Liaño is proud of what his former teammate had accomplished, especially watching from the sidelines as they developed into the players they are today." That statement stuck with me because it captures the essence of what makes San Miguel special - it's not just about individual greatness, but about how players elevate each other, creating a legacy that spans generations.
Let me take you back to 1989, when I was just a kid watching my first PBA game on our bulky CRT television. Samboy Lim, the "Skywalker," was doing things that seemed to defy physics. I remember him taking off from what felt like the free throw line for a layup, his body horizontal to the floor before somehow finishing with a soft kiss off the glass. My father, who rarely showed emotion during games, actually stood up and applauded. That's the kind of impact these players had - they made stoic men stand up in their living rooms. Lim's career was cut short by that devastating injury in 1996, but in his prime, he averaged around 18 points per game while playing defense that would make modern analytics geeks swoon.
Then there's the incomparable Ramon Fernandez. I had the privilege of interviewing him in 2015, and what struck me wasn't just his statistical dominance - though the numbers are ridiculous, 18,996 total points, about 8.9 rebounds per game across 1,074 games - but his basketball IQ. He could have played blindfolded and still known where everyone was on the court. I remember asking him about his famous no-look passes, and he just smiled and said, "The game slows down when you've played enough. You see things before they happen." That's the difference between good players and the ones who make my top 10 San Miguel PBA players list - they don't just react to the game, they anticipate it.
The modern era gives us June Mar Fajardo, who I genuinely believe could score 20 points while reading a newspaper during timeouts. I've watched him practice - the man makes shooting look as effortless as breathing. His six MVP awards aren't just numbers; they represent seasons where opponents had to completely redesign their defensive schemes just to contain him. And yet, what impresses me most isn't his scoring but his passing out of double teams. Last conference alone, he averaged 3.2 assists from the center position, which is just unfair for someone who also grabs 12.8 rebounds per game.
I know some younger fans might argue that today's players are better, but having watched both eras, I'll take the 1990s San Miguel squad in a seven-game series any day. The physicality, the fundamentals, the pure basketball instinct - it was different. Players like Hector Calma, the "Director," who ran the offense with the precision of a Swiss watch. I still have vivid memories of him controlling the tempo, his eyes constantly scanning the court while he dribbled with that distinctive low bounce. He made 4.8 assists per game look easy, but what the stats don't show is how he made everyone around him better.
What makes compiling this top 10 San Miguel PBA players list so challenging - and so personally meaningful - is that I've had the privilege of watching most of these legends up close, some from the press row, others from the stands as a fan. Each era had its dominant forces, from the high-flying antics of Samboy Lim to the methodical destruction wrought by June Mar Fajardo. They didn't just win games; they captured imaginations, defined eras, and set standards that future generations would strive to meet. And as Gomez de Liaño reminded me over coffee, that legacy continues to inspire not just fans, but the players who come after them, each adding their own chapter to San Miguel's storied history.
