Mr. Cool On and Off Court

MANILA, Philippines — He’s on top of the world but multi-awarded big man June Mar Fajardo prefers to keep his feet on the ground.

“Simpleng tao lang ako, walang masyadong arte sa katawan. Kasi galing ako sa hirap so alam ko ano yung feeling na wala ka; tapos ayun, super blessed ako ni God na andito ako sa sitwasyon na ito,” he says during a break in San Miguel’s team practice at Acropolis.

“Gusto kong mag-stay simple as much as possible. Syempre sa lifestyle medyo nag-iiba, ‘di ba? Pero hindi naman ako maluho na tao, simple lang ako,” he adds.

Given the monicker “the Kraken” after the mythical gigantic sea monster, Fajardo enjoys a flourishing career that has so far netted him six PBA titles, seven Best Player of the Conference awards and a record-tying four MVP plums. At 28 and tirelessly getting better, the 6-foot-10 Cebuano is on track to add much more to his laurels, but he says he never really thinks about individual accolades.

“Ang mentality ko gusto ko mag-improve every game, every conference, every year. Hindi ko iniisip, ine-expect yung individual awards pero syempre, sobrang blessed pa rin ako, thankful ako sa teammates ko, sa coaching staff ko; kung hindi dahil sa kanila, hindi ko naman makukuha iyon,” he says.

(Left) June Mar Fajardo has been named Best Player of the Conference seven times.

Mr. Cool

Although he has a fearsome monster game, June Mar possesses a “Mr. Cool” persona. Winner of the PBA Sportsmanship Award twice, the gentle giant hardly loses his temper even in the most heated of matches.

“Kapag mainit kasi ang ulo mo, wala kang magagawa, lalo na kapag sa game. Mawawala ka sa focus. Instead na mag-focus ka sa game, puro focus mo sa away, mawawala ka sa game mo, so as much as possible, kailangang maging cool ka, kasi ang goal ninyo is manalo. Kapag nawala ka sa focus, may chance na matalo yung team.”

He was in fact in the middle of the action when Gilas Pilipinas brawled with Australia last month during the controversial World Cup qualifying game in Bocaue, Bulacan but exercised tremendous restraint.

“Nagulat ako kasi sobrang bilis ng pangyayari. Parang look-to-score pa ako that time tapos pag tingin ko, parang may bumagsak na, nagkagulo na. So inisip ko, parang, ano bang gagawin ko, kasi kung gugustuhin kong sumuntok, makakasuntok ako, nasa gitna ako eh. Pero para sa akin, hindi worth it kung susuntok ako. Nasa isip ko for sure, pagsisihan ko kung gagawin ko yun.

“Tapos andun pa ang parents ko so pangit tignan, minabuti ko umiwas na lang,” he recalls.

Fajardo was one of only three Gilas players who were left eligible to play the remainder of that game as nine of his teammates were banished in the aftermath of the wild scuffle that made news worldwide.

He received praise on social media for his behavior in that incident.

“Junemar tho... what a beast! And didn’t feel the need to throw one punch or throw any chairs to show his pride,” posted fellow PBA player Sol Mercado on Twitter.

There was even a meme called “Be Like June Mar” that circulated online. It goes: “Be Like June Mar/June Mar is a 4XMVP/June Mar hates fight/June Mar is chill/ Be Like June Mar.”

Abay, as friends call Fajardo, admits he did get into a fight once, when he was still in high school. 

June Mar with his MVP trophies

“May nakaaway nung high school pero after noon, wala, umiwas na ako,” he shares.

Giant gamer

June Mar, though, fights on the online battle arena, regularly playing popular games like DOTA, Mobile Legends and Arena of Valor.

“Kapag wala akong ginagawa after practice or after ng game, naglalaro ako ng mga online games,” he says, “o kaya nanood ng movies sa bahay lang.”

Online and computer games, he explains, help him take his mind off the pressure-packed, draining world of pro basketball and recharge.

“Nag-o-online games ako kasi iyon ang parang diversion ko, shini-shift ko utak ko sa basketball kasi pag masyado kong iniisip ang basketball, parang nape-pressure ako pagdating sa game, nabablangko ako. Nangyari na yun before, so ang ginagawa ko dina-divert ko sarili ko,” he shares.

There are even times when the gentle giant lets his fans watch him do his stuff on MLBB online. If you happen to stumble on a certain “JM15 FAJARDO” “slaying enemies,” yeah, that’s really THE June Mar Fajardo.

He relates that he has games handy on his cellphone, PSP, even the old Gameboy, and laptop and PC.

“Marami akong gadgets para sa games lang,” he says.

He also keeps a cabinetful of video games.

“Marami, isang maliit na cabinet na puro games. Yun ang way ko para ma-relax din ako, kasi yung laro namin nakaka-pressure,” he says.

Humble beginnings

Abay started out rather late in basketball in his hometown in Pinamungajan, Cebu.

He celebrates with his SanMiguel Beermen teammates after winning the PBA Philippine Cup. He hopes to achieve a grand slam for his team one day.

“College na ako nung nag-basketball,” he recalls. “Hindi ko talaga hilig. Noon na lang nag college ako. Hindi talaga afford ng parents ko pero gusto nilang mapag-aral ako, so kailangan kong gamitin yung height ko. Sobrang blessed naman ako na tinanggap ako ng University of Cebu. Binigyan nila ako ng pagkakataong makalaro sa Team A. Thankful kami sa UC kasi doon nag-simula ang career ko.”

He blossomed as a dominant center at UC, leading the Webmasters to two Cesafi championships while plucking three MVPs.

Like his rival over at University of the Visayas Greg Slaughter, Fajardo caught the eye of scouts from big schools in Manila on his sophomore year at UC.

But the future PBA star didn’t get lured by the bright lights of the Big City and stuck it out with the Webmasters for the rest of his college career.

“Kinausap ako ng scout at noong nalaman ng team manager namin, pinayagan naman ako na pumunta ng Manila. Pero sabi ko hindi, hindi ako pupunta kasi sa UC ako nag-start, dun ako tatapos kasi para sa akin, unfair sa school na doon ako nag-start tapos nung nag-improve na ako, lilipat ako. Hanggang may playing years pa ako, tatapusin ko yun sa UC.”

After his UC stint, it was time to unravel JMF in Manila.

He initially played in the ASEAN Basketball League for the San Miguel Beermen, enjoying a championship with them, before taking his much-awaited place in Asia’s first play-for-play league in 2012.

More to come

Fajardo achieved another personal milestone recently when he scored his 5,000th point in the PBA.

He reached the plateau on the same night he was named Best Player of the Conference for a seventh time.

At the rate he’s going, the Kraken is well on his way to winning a record number of MVPs and other accolades.

What’s on top of his wishlist, though, is something he and his teammates can savor together.

“Pangarap ko talaga maka-grand slam,” he declares, remembering how San Mig Coffee celebrated a golden treble in the 2013-14 season, the year he won the first of his MVP awards.

“Nakita ko kung gaano sila kasaya. Nasabi ko sa sarili ko, gusto ko rin ma-feel iyung ganoon. Iyon ang goal namin – ang mag-grand slam,” he adds.

The big fella and the Beermen had the perfect opportunity to achieve the feat after winning the Philippine Cup and the Commissioner’s Cup titles in the 2016-17 season and made it to the finals of the culminating Governors’ Cup.

However, the Gin Kings threw a wrench in the Beermen’s plans and wrested the only missing jewel in SMB’s collection.

Abay’s own quest for the Holy Grail continues. 

“Aware naman kami na hindi ganoon kadali kasi malalakas din ang kalaban, pero willing kami mag-sacrifice, ibigay ang lahat ng best namin para maabot ang goal. Sana in the future maka-grand slam,” he says.

Now that will be really cool.

* * *

STAR Photos by Joey Mendoza and Jun Mendoza