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What Happened to the UAAP MVPs of the 2000s?

Imahe
The UAAP MVP award often signals collegiate greatness—but as history shows, it does not guarantee a smooth or even star-studded professional career. The 2000s produced a fascinating mix of fulfilled promise, career detours, injuries, and late-blooming success stories. Here’s what became of the UAAP MVPs of that decade. Rich Alvarez (2000, 2001) Rich Alvarez made history as a back-to-back UAAP MVP for Ateneo Blue Eagles , leading the program to a Final Four run and a Finals appearance before finally winning the UAAP championship in 2002 against De La Salle Green Archers . A four-time UAAP Mythical First Team member, Alvarez entered the pros with enormous expectations as the first overall pick of Shell Turbo Chargers in the 2004 PBA Draft. He showed promise early, but after stints with Alaska Aces and a rebound resurgence with Red Bull Barako , his career shifted into that of a journeyman. Despite never fully becoming a PBA star, Alvarez still carved out a respectable legacy, winnin...
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How Much Can a PBA Player Really Earn on a Championship Team?

Imahe
A Data-Based Look at Max vs. Minimum Contracts in the PBA Winning a championship in the PBA is often seen as the ultimate reward—but does winning pay the same for everyone on the roster? The short answer is no. Behind every title run is a wide financial gap between a maximum-contract superstar and a minimum-contract role player , even when both wear the same jersey, win the same games, and celebrate the same championships. Using adjusted earnings data from the 2015–2016 PBA season , this article breaks down how much a max-contract player and a minimum-contract player can actually earn while playing for a championship team. By comparing June Mar Fajardo , the league’s highest-paid and most decorated player, with Michael Mabulac , a rotation player on the same dominant roster, we see how base salaries, bonuses, and individual awards create a massive earnings gap—even in a season defined by shared success. Same team. Same trophies. Very different paychecks. For context of th...
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Yeng Guiao’s Midas Touch: From Expansion to Champions

Imahe
 In Philippine basketball history, few coaches embody grit, resilience, and success like Yeng Guiao . Known as the fiery tactician on the sidelines, Guiao has carved a legacy of turning underdog expansion teams into championship contenders. Just like the mythical King Midas who turned everything he touched into gold, Guiao has repeatedly transformed struggling squads into title-winning dynasties. This magic touch did not happen overnight. Long before he became a household name in the PBA, Guiao was already proving his knack for molding young franchises into champions. Over the course of his career, he not only turned one expansion team into a championship-caliber squad, but remarkably did it twice—an achievement that firmly established him as one of the greatest coaches in Philippine basketball history. Swift (1990–1994): The First Transformation Before Swift even entered the PBA, Yeng Guiao was already guiding the franchise to success. In 1989, he coached the team to a champio...
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The Unbelievable Run: Red Bull’s Shocking 2001 Commissioner’s Cup Triumph

Imahe
  In 2001, the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) witnessed one of its most unexpected and electrifying storylines — the rise of the Batang Red Bull Energizers , a young, gritty franchise that refused to bow to the giants. What began as a dream turned into destiny, as Red Bull defied odds, toppled powerhouses, and ultimately captured their first-ever PBA championship in franchise history. The Road to Redemption Just months before their historic run, Red Bull’s season ended in heartbreak. They fell to the San Miguel Beermen — the eventual champions — in a do-or-die game during the 2001 Philippine Cup Quarterfinals. But instead of crumbling, that defeat forged a fire that would define their next campaign. Heading into the 2001 Commissioner’s Cup , Red Bull was no longer the league’s wide-eyed newcomers. They had proven they could compete with the best. Reinforced by Antonio Lang , a former Duke Blue Devil and NBA journeyman, the Energizers entered the tournament with renewe...
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Danny Ildefonso’s Game Winner That Changed the 2011 Governor’s Cup Finals

Imahe
The 2011 PBA Governor’s Cup was a battle of two narratives: Talk ‘N Text’s chase for a historic Grand Slam, and Petron Blaze’s redemption after one of the worst campaigns in franchise history. What unfolded was a Finals series for the ages, punctuated by Danny Ildefonso’s clutch game-winner that turned the tide of the championship. Petron Blaze’s Road to the Finals At the start of the 2011 Governor’s Cup, San Miguel Beer was rebranded as Petron Blaze. The team was coming off a disastrous 2-7 showing in the Commissioner’s Cup, and expectations were modest. Early struggles continued, as Petron shuffled imports and stumbled to a 2-2 record. But with the arrival of Jeremy Wise, the team caught fire—winning three of their last four elimination games to secure the No. 2 seed with a 5-3 record. In the semifinals, Petron survived a tough field despite losing Wise to injury, finishing at 8-5 overall. Their superior quotient gave them the last ticket to the Finals against powerhouse Talk ‘N ...
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The Night Justin Brownlee Became a Ginebra Icon with One Shot

Imahe
In the rich and storied history of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), few moments resonate as deeply as that shot—Justin Brownlee’s cold-blooded buzzer-beater that ended Barangay Ginebra’s eight-year title drought. It wasn’t just a game-winner; it was a moment of destiny that turned doubt into legend and heartbreak into history. The Road to Redemption: Ginebra’s Governors’ Cup Journey Coming off a disappointing Commissioner’s Cup campaign that saw them swept by Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals, Barangay Ginebra entered the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup with something to prove. Under the guidance of multi-titled coach Tim Cone, and the burden of an eight-year title drought, expectations were high. Originally tapping former Best Import Paul Harris, Ginebra’s title hopes were immediately shaken when Harris suffered a thumb injury in the opening game. In a surprising move, the team turned to an unfamiliar name: Justin Brownlee , an undrafted player out of St. John's University...
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