Ageless Rock: Asi Taulava wins ABL MVP at 40

MANILA, Philippines – Asi Taulava proved that age is just a number when the 40-year old Fil-Tongan center was named the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) Most Valuable Player on Wednesday.

Exactly 10 years after winning his first and only PBA MVP, Taulava is playing with a revived confidence since jumping to the region’s emerging pro league at the start of the season.

ABL CEO Anthony Macri lauded Taulava for his great effort despite his age.

“We have some very talented players in our league, and anyone of them would have made an excellent Asean MVP – and it is a testament to Asi Taulava that he was selected by the teams for this award,” said Macri in a press statement on the league's website.

Taulava won the award at the expense of four more Filipino players including his teammate Chris Banchero, who has just returned from a bout with injury, Rev Sports Thailand Slammer import Froilan Baguion and Saigon Heat import Jair Reyes. Only Mario Wuysang of the Indonesia Warriors, whom Taulava and the rest of the San Miguel Beermen will face in the Finals starting on Friday, was the non-Filipino player in the list of nominees.

It was the closest MVP race in the history of the league with only four points separating Taulava from his closest pursuer, whom the league did not disclose. The selection process was based on ranked votes from each of the league's six teams. 

“It has been an honor and a privilege to have Asi in the AirAsia Asean Basketball League this season. He was the go-to post player down the stretch of big games for the San Miguel Beermen all year long, and always seemed to deliver.

Taulava averaged 10.9 points and 7.4 rebounds for the Beermen, who recorded a historic 16-game winning streak on their way to the Finals.  He played a big role in Beermen’s 3-1 semifinal win over the Slammers.  

The ageless “Rock” is looking forward to put an icing to what has become a renaissance year of his career with an ABL title in the next two weeks. 

Macri also looks at Taulava as an inspiring story to advance the league's growth further in the region.

“He is a great ambassador of the game to the region as well, and I hope he has a few more years of play left in him for basketball fans throughout Asean to enjoy."

Taulava, who has received interest from several PBA teams to return to the country's pro league, still has one year left in his contract with the Beermen.  Meralco Bolts, meanwhile, own the rights on Taulava in the PBA.