Ramón Fernández
Encyclopedia
Ramon S. Fernandez is generally regarded as the greatest basketball player (and certainly the best and most revolutionary player at the center position) produced by the Philippine Basketball Association
. Fernandez won four Most Valuable Player awards and a record of 19 PBA championships (the equivalent of 6 championships in the NBA as the PBA runs three championships a year) bagged. Fernandez scored 18,996 points to finish as the PBA's all-time scoring leader. He is also the PBA's all-time leader in rebounds, blocked shots, and second all-time in assists and steals. He played for five teams in his entire the PBA career starting with Toyota
, Manila Beer, Tanduay
, Purefoods, and with San Miguel
, his last stop. Fernandez played in many overseas tournaments by being a part of the Philippine basketball team
.
in Cebu
and was a member of several national teams. These include the 1972 Asian Youth Championships(Champion), 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation championship team, 1974 World Basketball Championships in Puerto Rico, the 1974 Asian Games in Iran and the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.
In 1975
, Fernandez joined the Toyota
team in the PBA, joining Robert Jaworski
, Francis Arnáiz
, Arnie Tuadles
, Danny Florencio
, and Abe King
when they won nine titles from 1975-1983. Fernandez was the 1982 PBA Most Valuable Player, the only time he achieved the award during his days with the fabled Toyota team.
After Toyota's disbandment in 1984, Fernandez and several former Toyota teammates joined Beer Hausen. The move also further ignited a much-publicized feud with former teammate Jaworski. Fernandez won the 1984 MVP award, his second, during his first season with the Lucio Tan
-owned franchise, but never led the team to the championship until he was shipped in the middle of the 1985 season to Tanduay
for Abet Guidaben
.
From 1986-1987, Fernandez along with former Crispa rivals Freddie Hubalde
and Padim Israel
, J.B. Yango, Willie Generalao, Onchie dela Cruz and imports Rob Williams, Andre McKoy and later, David Thirdkill
, led the Rhum Masters to three PBA titles. Fernandez won his third MVP award in 1986.
Tanduay would disband before the 1988 season, but the franchise rights were bought by the Purefoods Corporation
. Fernandez would become playing coach, his first coaching stint, of a young team composed of Jerry Codiñera
, Jojo Lastimosa
, Al Solís, Glen Capacio and later Alvin Patrimonio
. In the 1988 Open Conference, he led his new team to a runner-up finish to San Miguel Beer. However, midway through the All-Filipino Conference, he would relinquish his coaching duties to his assistant, Cris Calilan, to concentrate on his game. But in a controversial move, Fernandez was benched during the Finals against Añejo Rhum. The said event led to his transfer to San Miguel Beer
in exchange for, the second time, Abet Guidaben
. Fernandez would later lead the Beermen to the 1988 Reinforced Conference Championship and also won his fourth MVP Award, becoming the first and the only player to win four MVP awards with four different teams.
Fernandez was a member of San Miguel's historic grandslam in 1989 while making amends with rival Jaworski during the 1989 All-Star Game, when El Presidente scored an undergoal stab off a Jaworski inbound pass at halfcourt, to lead the Veterans to a 132-130 win over the Rookie-Sophomores team. Legendary coach Baby Dalupan
, then coaching the Veterans, summoned both players to a historic handshake at centercourt signaling the end of their bitter feud.
In 1990, Fernandez was a member of the Philippine basketball team
that won a silver medal in the Beijing Asian Games. El Presidente was supposed to participate in the 1994 Asian Games team, but begged off due to an injury. That year also saw the final season of Fernandez's PBA career when he announced his retirement.
He was the first four-time MVP of the league, winning it in even numbered years during the 1980s—1982, 1984, 1986, and 1988. Considered as the best center to have come out of the PBA, he can however play all five positions on the court with uncanny ability. His trademark one-handed running jumper dubbed the "elegant shot" was his most potent offensive weapon. In 1984, he came awfully close to averaging in triple-double the whole season, being only five assists shy from achieving the feat. He ended his PBA career as the all-time leader in most points scored with 18,996, number two behind Jaworski in assists with 5,220, number one in defensive rebounds with 6,435, number two in offensive rebounds behind Guidaben with 2,217, number one in overall rebounds with 8,652, number one in minutes played with 36624:30, number 2 in games played behind Guidaben, number one in blocks with 1,853, and, only since February 5, 2007, number two behind Johnny Abarrientos
in steals with 1,302 (He retired number one in steals in 1994). He ended with career averages of 17.7 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, 4.9 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 1.7 blocks per game in 1,074 games.
in the 1995 elections but lost. In 1998, he became the first commissioner of the defunct professional league, Metropolitan Basketball Association
.
In 2000, he was included in the PBA's 25 Greatest Players' list and was awarded during the league's anniversary on April 9, 2000.
In 2003, Fernandez was named the Commissioner of the Collegiate Champions League tournament. A few months earlier, Fernandez was part of the Toyota Tamaraws
in the Crispa-Toyota Reunion Game. The highlight of the event was the kickout pass of Fernandez to Jaworski, who sank a three-pointer to seal the Tamaraws' 65-61 win over their bitter rivals, the Redmanizers
.
He also became the Commissioner of the now-inactive United Regional Basketball League
during its only run in 2004.
Fernandez was also inducted in the PBA Hall of Fame
and participated in the Greatest Game, a reunion of several members of the league's 25 Greatest Players, on May 30, 2005 when they lost to the TM Greats team 96-92.
Fernandez could actually play all five positions on the basketball court as he mastered every skill needed in the point guard, off-guard, forward, power-forward and center slots. He is known for his dribbling skills (unusual for a center during his era), uncanny passing ability, perimeter jumpers, and unstoppable high or low post moves. In an open court game, it was not unusual to see him collar a rebound then dribble down the full length of the court and finish off the break with a lay-up down the middle or a fancy pass to a streaking teammate on the wings. The fact that he could dribble the ball so well came about as a result of him playing pointguard in high school when he was still too short to play the center slot. He is also well known for his trademark one handed running shot dubbed as "the elegant shot.". He could play facing the basket or with his back to it. One major distinguishing aspect of his game and which, amongst other exploits, showed a level of skill unmatched in Philippine basketball before or since, was his ability to drive towards the basket at will during a half-court game. This was remarkable because centers and power-forwards in his era usually played near or underneath the basket.
Fernandez is perhaps the most ambidextrous player to have played the game since Carlos Loyzaga
a generation before him. Almost always, whenever he led a fastbreak (after getting the defensive rebound), he was like a maestro conducting an orchestra with the ability to hit the open man on either wing or finish a lay-up with either hand. A lot of times he would switch the ball from right hand to left hand and draw a foul for a three point play. One of his more famous moves was driving down the middle of the lane, fake a right-handed shot and then, at the very last second when the defender has committed himself, switch the ball to his left hand for an up-and-under scoop shot that almost always drew a foul. He had an ambidextrous hook shot that was almost impossible to stop and a weird looking variation of a lay-up that was executed while "fading away" from the basket which made it equally indefensible. His "elegant shot" often came after a right-handed cross-over dribble and moving away from a defender. His pivot moves, pump fakes, and trick shots from under the basket that he executed to flawless perfection even before Kevin McHale
wrote his NBA playbook are legendary. He owned what was perhaps the craziest no-look pass that was executed on Philippine hardwood because it came about as a fake behind-the-back pass going to one direction only to go the opposite direction at the precise moment when the recipient is ready to receive the pass. His pinpoint passing ability was so devastating to opponents because he could execute them with either hand as well. It didn't matter to Fernandez whether he was hitting the open man through a crowd of defenders or hitting the same open man via a Hail Mary pass from outside the backcourt. Philip Cezar
and Abe King
, two premier defenders of local players and imports alike, in television interviews, always said that Fernandez was the toughest assignment they ever had to handle.
His MVP-stats in the 1984 season of the PBA, where he averaged in double figures in almost all of the major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists), turning in an incredible 27 point-15 rebound-9.9 assist performance (an almost a triple-double season), may never be matched as it stands as perhaps the most dominating individual performance in the history of Philippine professional basketball.
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association , is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines composed of 10 company-branded franchised teams. It is the first and oldest professional basketball league in Asia and the second oldest in the world after the NBA...
. Fernandez won four Most Valuable Player awards and a record of 19 PBA championships (the equivalent of 6 championships in the NBA as the PBA runs three championships a year) bagged. Fernandez scored 18,996 points to finish as the PBA's all-time scoring leader. He is also the PBA's all-time leader in rebounds, blocked shots, and second all-time in assists and steals. He played for five teams in his entire the PBA career starting with Toyota
Toyota Super Corollas
The Toyota Super Corollas was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1975-1983. The team had various monikers such as the Comets, the Silver Tamaraws, the Tamaraws, the Super Diesels, the Super Corollas and the Silver Coronas.Their nine PBA titles is the...
, Manila Beer, Tanduay
Tanduay Rhum Masters
The Tanduay Rhum Masters is a former Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association , Philippine Basketball Association and Philippine Basketball League basketball team.-History:...
, Purefoods, and with San Miguel
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
, his last stop. Fernandez played in many overseas tournaments by being a part of the Philippine basketball team
Philippines national basketball team
The men's national basketball team of the Philippines represents the Philippines in international basketball competitions. It is managed by its national basketball federation, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas...
.
Career
Fernandez was a product of the University of San CarlosUniversity of San Carlos
The University of San Carlos is a Roman Catholic university governed by the Society of the Divine Word since 1935 in Cebu City. It offers pre-elementary and basic education as well as undergraduate and graduate courses, and a broad spectrum of academic programs through its eight colleges.It...
in Cebu
Cebu
Cebu is a province in the Philippines, consisting of Cebu Island and 167 surrounding islands. It is located to the east of Negros, to the west of Leyte and Bohol islands...
and was a member of several national teams. These include the 1972 Asian Youth Championships(Champion), 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation championship team, 1974 World Basketball Championships in Puerto Rico, the 1974 Asian Games in Iran and the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.
In 1975
1975 PBA season
-Notable events:*The first game was held on April 9, 1975 at the Araneta Coliseum with the Marisawa-Noritake Porcelainmakers beating Concepcion Carriers 101-98 in the opening game and Toyota edging out U/Tex, 105-101 in front of 18,000 spectators...
, Fernandez joined the Toyota
Toyota Super Corollas
The Toyota Super Corollas was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1975-1983. The team had various monikers such as the Comets, the Silver Tamaraws, the Tamaraws, the Super Diesels, the Super Corollas and the Silver Coronas.Their nine PBA titles is the...
team in the PBA, joining Robert Jaworski
Robert Jaworski
Robert Salazar Jaworski , also known as Sonny Jaworski, Bobby Jaworski, Robert Jaworski, Sr. or simply Jawo, is a former Philippine senator, basketball coach and Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association and PBA basketball player.Known as The Big J and called The Living Legend...
, Francis Arnáiz
Francis Arnaiz
Francis C. Arnaiz is a former Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He played for Toyota and Ginebra San Miguel from 1975-1986...
, Arnie Tuadles
Arnie Tuadles
Arnulfo "Arnie" Tuadles was a Filipino basketball player who once played for the fabled Philippine Basketball Association team Toyota Super Corollas. He began his career brightly as a stalwart in the MICAA, playing for the Manilabank Golden Bankers in the mid-70s before peddling his wares with the...
, Danny Florencio
Danny Florencio
Danilo Zoleta Florencio , better known as Danny Florencio, is a pioneer of the Philippine Basketball Association having played in the PBA from 1975 to 1983. He played for different teams like the U/Tex Weavers, the 7-Up Uncolas, the Toyota Tamaraws, and the Galerie Dominique Artistas...
, and Abe King
Abe King
Abe King, Jr. was a Filipino basketball player who was part of the champion Philippine Basketball Association ballclub Toyota Tamaraws. He was the starting power center of 1976 MICAA Champion Crown Motors before his mother team, the Toyota Tamaraws called upon his services at the start of the...
when they won nine titles from 1975-1983. Fernandez was the 1982 PBA Most Valuable Player, the only time he achieved the award during his days with the fabled Toyota team.
After Toyota's disbandment in 1984, Fernandez and several former Toyota teammates joined Beer Hausen. The move also further ignited a much-publicized feud with former teammate Jaworski. Fernandez won the 1984 MVP award, his second, during his first season with the Lucio Tan
Lucio Tan
Lucio Tan is a prominent Chinese Filipino business magnate and is one of the most prominent business magnates in the Philippines...
-owned franchise, but never led the team to the championship until he was shipped in the middle of the 1985 season to Tanduay
Tanduay Rhum Masters
The Tanduay Rhum Masters is a former Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association , Philippine Basketball Association and Philippine Basketball League basketball team.-History:...
for Abet Guidaben
Abet Guidaben
Alberto "Abet" Guidaben is a former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983...
.
From 1986-1987, Fernandez along with former Crispa rivals Freddie Hubalde
Freddie Hubalde
Alfredo Hubalde , also known as Freddie Hubalde, is a former Filipino professional basketball player. Hubalde played college ball for the Mapúa Institute of Technology, before eventually moving on to play professional basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association...
and Padim Israel
Padim Israel
Federico Israel, Jr. , better known as Padim Israel, is a former Filipino basketball player. He played college ball for the Ateneo de Manila University before eventually going on to play professional basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association...
, J.B. Yango, Willie Generalao, Onchie dela Cruz and imports Rob Williams, Andre McKoy and later, David Thirdkill
David Thirdkill
David Thirdkill is a retired American basketball player who was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the 1st round of the 1982 NBA Draft. A small forward from the College of Southern Idaho and Bradley University, Thirdkill played in five NBA seasons from 1982 to 1987...
, led the Rhum Masters to three PBA titles. Fernandez won his third MVP award in 1986.
Tanduay would disband before the 1988 season, but the franchise rights were bought by the Purefoods Corporation
Purefoods Chunkee Giants
The B-Meg Llamados is a professional basketball team of the Philippine Basketball Association owned by the San Miguel-Purefoods Company, Inc., a company of the San Miguel Corporation...
. Fernandez would become playing coach, his first coaching stint, of a young team composed of Jerry Codiñera
Jerry Codiñera
Jerry Codiñera is a retired professional basketball player of the Philippine Basketball Association. He is nicknamed the "Defense Minister" for his prowess at the defensive end. He is also a member of the 25 Best Players of all Time of PBA and Philippine men's national basketball team of the 1994...
, Jojo Lastimosa
Jojo Lastimosa
Isabelo Lastimosa, Jr. , better known as Jojo Lastimosa and by his nickname "Jolas", is a former Filipino professional basketball player from Cagayan de Oro City who played in the Philippine Basketball Association for the Purefoods TJ Hotdogs, the Alaska Aces and the Pop Cola Panthers from 1988-2003...
, Al Solís, Glen Capacio and later Alvin Patrimonio
Alvin Patrimonio
Alvin Vergara Patrimonio , nicknamed "The Captain" and "Captain Lionheart" is a retired Filipino professional basketball player from the Philippine Basketball Association and is the current team manager of his former team, the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants.Patrimonio holds several PBA records...
. In the 1988 Open Conference, he led his new team to a runner-up finish to San Miguel Beer. However, midway through the All-Filipino Conference, he would relinquish his coaching duties to his assistant, Cris Calilan, to concentrate on his game. But in a controversial move, Fernandez was benched during the Finals against Añejo Rhum. The said event led to his transfer to San Miguel Beer
San Miguel Beermen
The Petron Blaze Boosters is a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association. The team has been a member of the league since its inception in 1975 and hold the most PBA titles with 19.The team is owned by the Petron Corporation, a subsidiary of the Philippines' largest food...
in exchange for, the second time, Abet Guidaben
Abet Guidaben
Alberto "Abet" Guidaben is a former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983...
. Fernandez would later lead the Beermen to the 1988 Reinforced Conference Championship and also won his fourth MVP Award, becoming the first and the only player to win four MVP awards with four different teams.
Fernandez was a member of San Miguel's historic grandslam in 1989 while making amends with rival Jaworski during the 1989 All-Star Game, when El Presidente scored an undergoal stab off a Jaworski inbound pass at halfcourt, to lead the Veterans to a 132-130 win over the Rookie-Sophomores team. Legendary coach Baby Dalupan
Baby Dalupan
Virgilio "Baby" Dalupan is a Filipino former basketball coach and player. He is the son of University of the East founder Dr. Francisco T...
, then coaching the Veterans, summoned both players to a historic handshake at centercourt signaling the end of their bitter feud.
In 1990, Fernandez was a member of the Philippine basketball team
Philippines national basketball team
The men's national basketball team of the Philippines represents the Philippines in international basketball competitions. It is managed by its national basketball federation, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas...
that won a silver medal in the Beijing Asian Games. El Presidente was supposed to participate in the 1994 Asian Games team, but begged off due to an injury. That year also saw the final season of Fernandez's PBA career when he announced his retirement.
He was the first four-time MVP of the league, winning it in even numbered years during the 1980s—1982, 1984, 1986, and 1988. Considered as the best center to have come out of the PBA, he can however play all five positions on the court with uncanny ability. His trademark one-handed running jumper dubbed the "elegant shot" was his most potent offensive weapon. In 1984, he came awfully close to averaging in triple-double the whole season, being only five assists shy from achieving the feat. He ended his PBA career as the all-time leader in most points scored with 18,996, number two behind Jaworski in assists with 5,220, number one in defensive rebounds with 6,435, number two in offensive rebounds behind Guidaben with 2,217, number one in overall rebounds with 8,652, number one in minutes played with 36624:30, number 2 in games played behind Guidaben, number one in blocks with 1,853, and, only since February 5, 2007, number two behind Johnny Abarrientos
Johnny Abarrientos
Johnny Abarrientos is a retired Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association. He was also a many-time member of the Philippine National team, and was the 1996 PBA MVP, becoming the shortest player to win the league's highest individual award.He is known by many...
in steals with 1,302 (He retired number one in steals in 1994). He ended with career averages of 17.7 points per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, 4.9 assists per game, 1.2 steals per game, and 1.7 blocks per game in 1,074 games.
Retirement
After his playing career, Fernandez ran for a senatorial seat under the Nationalist People's CoalitionNationalist People's Coalition
The Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
in the 1995 elections but lost. In 1998, he became the first commissioner of the defunct professional league, Metropolitan Basketball Association
Metropolitan Basketball Association
The Metropolitan Basketball Association or Metroball was a professional basketball league in the Philippines founded in 1998.The MBA overtook the Philippine Basketball Association's plans on regionalization when the league adopted a home-and-away format where teams, instead of representing...
.
In 2000, he was included in the PBA's 25 Greatest Players' list and was awarded during the league's anniversary on April 9, 2000.
In 2003, Fernandez was named the Commissioner of the Collegiate Champions League tournament. A few months earlier, Fernandez was part of the Toyota Tamaraws
Toyota Super Corollas
The Toyota Super Corollas was a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association from 1975-1983. The team had various monikers such as the Comets, the Silver Tamaraws, the Tamaraws, the Super Diesels, the Super Corollas and the Silver Coronas.Their nine PBA titles is the...
in the Crispa-Toyota Reunion Game. The highlight of the event was the kickout pass of Fernandez to Jaworski, who sank a three-pointer to seal the Tamaraws' 65-61 win over their bitter rivals, the Redmanizers
Crispa Redmanizers
The Crispa Redmanizers was a basketball team in the Manila Industrial Commercial Athletic Association , the Philippine Basketball Association and the Philippine Amateur Basketball League from the 1960s to the early 1990s.- Profile and history :...
.
He also became the Commissioner of the now-inactive United Regional Basketball League
United Regional Basketball League
The United Regional Basketball League was a community-based amateur basketball league in the Philippines that played only one season in 2004. The league was managed by persons identified with the old Metropolitan Basketball Association , a professional community-based league that suspended...
during its only run in 2004.
Fernandez was also inducted in the PBA Hall of Fame
PBA Hall of Fame
The Philippine Basketball Association Hall of Fame is an institution that honors selected former players and personalities of the Philippine Basketball Association. It was launched in 2005 during the Reunion Game pitting two teams consisting of the PBA's 25th Anniversary All-Time Team...
and participated in the Greatest Game, a reunion of several members of the league's 25 Greatest Players, on May 30, 2005 when they lost to the TM Greats team 96-92.
Legacy
Fernandez is remembered as one of the most popular players during the PBA's golden years and is also one of the most prominent faces in Philippine basketball, even to this day.Fernandez could actually play all five positions on the basketball court as he mastered every skill needed in the point guard, off-guard, forward, power-forward and center slots. He is known for his dribbling skills (unusual for a center during his era), uncanny passing ability, perimeter jumpers, and unstoppable high or low post moves. In an open court game, it was not unusual to see him collar a rebound then dribble down the full length of the court and finish off the break with a lay-up down the middle or a fancy pass to a streaking teammate on the wings. The fact that he could dribble the ball so well came about as a result of him playing pointguard in high school when he was still too short to play the center slot. He is also well known for his trademark one handed running shot dubbed as "the elegant shot.". He could play facing the basket or with his back to it. One major distinguishing aspect of his game and which, amongst other exploits, showed a level of skill unmatched in Philippine basketball before or since, was his ability to drive towards the basket at will during a half-court game. This was remarkable because centers and power-forwards in his era usually played near or underneath the basket.
Fernandez is perhaps the most ambidextrous player to have played the game since Carlos Loyzaga
Carlos Loyzaga
Carlos M. Loyzaga is a former Filipino basketball player and coach. He led the Philippine National team to a Bronze Medal finish in the 1954 FIBA World Championship. The Philippines third place finish remains the highest rank of any Asian team in the history of the tournament...
a generation before him. Almost always, whenever he led a fastbreak (after getting the defensive rebound), he was like a maestro conducting an orchestra with the ability to hit the open man on either wing or finish a lay-up with either hand. A lot of times he would switch the ball from right hand to left hand and draw a foul for a three point play. One of his more famous moves was driving down the middle of the lane, fake a right-handed shot and then, at the very last second when the defender has committed himself, switch the ball to his left hand for an up-and-under scoop shot that almost always drew a foul. He had an ambidextrous hook shot that was almost impossible to stop and a weird looking variation of a lay-up that was executed while "fading away" from the basket which made it equally indefensible. His "elegant shot" often came after a right-handed cross-over dribble and moving away from a defender. His pivot moves, pump fakes, and trick shots from under the basket that he executed to flawless perfection even before Kevin McHale
Kevin McHale
Kevin Edward McHale is a retired American professional basketball player and current head coach of the Houston Rockets. After his playing career, he worked for the Minnesota Timberwolves as the team's general manager and later its coach. He was fired as coach in June 2009...
wrote his NBA playbook are legendary. He owned what was perhaps the craziest no-look pass that was executed on Philippine hardwood because it came about as a fake behind-the-back pass going to one direction only to go the opposite direction at the precise moment when the recipient is ready to receive the pass. His pinpoint passing ability was so devastating to opponents because he could execute them with either hand as well. It didn't matter to Fernandez whether he was hitting the open man through a crowd of defenders or hitting the same open man via a Hail Mary pass from outside the backcourt. Philip Cezar
Philip Cezar
Philip "The Scholar" Cezar is a former Philippine Basketball Association basketball player. He was part of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers ballclub that won two Grand Slams, in 1976 and 1983. He won the Most Valuable Player award in 1980. He was also a many-time Philippine national team player in...
and Abe King
Abe King
Abe King, Jr. was a Filipino basketball player who was part of the champion Philippine Basketball Association ballclub Toyota Tamaraws. He was the starting power center of 1976 MICAA Champion Crown Motors before his mother team, the Toyota Tamaraws called upon his services at the start of the...
, two premier defenders of local players and imports alike, in television interviews, always said that Fernandez was the toughest assignment they ever had to handle.
His MVP-stats in the 1984 season of the PBA, where he averaged in double figures in almost all of the major statistical categories (points, rebounds, assists), turning in an incredible 27 point-15 rebound-9.9 assist performance (an almost a triple-double season), may never be matched as it stands as perhaps the most dominating individual performance in the history of Philippine professional basketball.
PBA career
- 4-time Most Valuable Player (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988)
- PBA Hall of Fame
- Member of the 1989 San Miguel Grand Slam Team
- 13-time Mythical First Team Selection (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992)
- 3-time Mythical Second Team Selection (1985, 1987, and 1990)
- 4-time PBA All-Star
- PBA's 25 Greatest Players
- PBA Hall of Fame Class of 2005
Others
- Member, 1972 Asian Youth, Manila, Philippines
- Member, 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation, Manila. (ABC-NOW FIBA ASIA)
- Member, 1974 Mundo Basket, San Juan, Puerto Rico(World Basketball Championship)
- Member, 1974 Asian Games, Tehran, Iran
- Member, 1990 Asian Games, Beijing, China
- 1994 Asian Games Assistant Coach
- Metropolitan Basketball Association Commissioner 1998-1999
Trivia
- A Ramon Fernandez-Abet Guidaben trade was executed twice. In 1985, Manila Beer swapped Fernandez to Tanduay for former Crispa rival Guidaben. In 1988, after a controversial shelving of Fernandez during the 1988 All-Filipino championship series led to Purefoods dealing the then-three time MVP to San Miguel for Guidaben, the reigning 1987 PBA MVP. It was speculated that there was an unwritten rule in the PBA that Fernandez and Guidaben could only be traded for each other.
- Fernandez won his four MVPs through four different teams Toyota, Beer Hausen, Tanduay, and San Miguel Beer and all in even-numbered years (1982, 1984, 1986, and 1988). On the other hand, rival Guidaben won the MVP award twice in odd-numbered years (1983 and 1987). Had the 1985 last conference swap between Fernandez and Guidaben did not materialize, Guidaben would have been the MVP also in 1985.
- Fernandez has led the teams he has played in a PBA championship series. He won nine titles with Toyota, led Beer Hausen to a title-series loss to Great Taste in 1984, led Tanduay to three PBA titles, led Purefoods to the finals in 1988 (played Game 1 after which he was barred from playing the rest of the series), and won seven titles with San Miguel.
- Outside of basketball, Fernandez also held a barangay seat at Ayala Alabang Village.
- He ran for Senator under the Nationalist People's CoalitionNationalist People's CoalitionThe Nationalist People's Coalition or NPC is a political party in the Philippines.-History:The Party was founded in 1991 after some members of the Nacionalista Party led by then Rizal Governor Isidro Rodriguez bolted from the Nacionalista Party after some disagreements with Nacionalista party...
in the 1995 senatorial elections, but lost.