MANILA, Philippines - Arwind Santos, who earned a living as a small boy selling orchids and driving pedicabs, added a new dimension to his checkered life last night by fulfilling the dream of every PBA player – become the pro’s best among its best and finest.
A member of the Mythical Five but never the MVP in the last five years, Santos finally rose as the brightest star of the local pro league, winning pro basketball’s highest accolade, the Most Valuable Player award, during the 2013 PBA Leo Awards held last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“You just added color in the life of this former errand boy,†said Santos, in Filipino, after accepting his Leo Trophy from PBA commissioner Chito Salud and board chairman Robert Non.
“Yes, I was an errand boy, pedicab driver, carwash boy, orchids seller. We had a tough life. But somehow this award proved that even the poor have a chance in life,†Santos also said.
Santos rose to the very top in his seventh season in the pro league, beating LA Tenorio in a close MVP derby. He made the Mythical Five selection for the sixth straight time.
The 6-foot-4 forward distinguished himself as the second player from Far Eastern U to become MVP after Johnny Abarrientos in 1996 and fifth player from the Petron/San Miguel Beer franchise to win the award after Abet Guidaben in 1987, Ramon Fernandez in 1988, Ato Agustin in 1992 and Danny Ildefonso in 2000 and 2001.
Joining Santos in the Mythical First Team were Tenorio, Talk n Text’s Jayson Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo and Rookie of the Year winner Calvin Abueva of Alaska.
The Mythical Second Team was composed of San Mig Coffee’s Marc Pingris, Petron’s Junmar Fajardo and Alex Cabagnot, and Alaska’s Sonny Thoss and Cyrus Baguio.
For the fourth straight year, the season’s second draft choice emerged the top freshman.
Abueva, second place overall in the stats race behind Santos, claimed the Rookie of the Year award in runaway fashion.
Air21’s KG Canaleta and Alaska’s Jayvee Casio also bagged top individual awards as the Most Improved Player and winner of the Sportsmanship Award, respectively.
Santos, Pingris and Thoss pocketed another award as members of the Best Defensive Team together with Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood and Petron’s Marcio Lassiter.
Santos and Pingris are now among the league’s best defenders of all-time, having made the team for the seventh and sixth time, respectively.
Norwood is now a two-time Best Defensive Team member. Thoss and Lassiter both made the elite list for the first time.
Abueva bested top draft selection Junmar Fajardo, following the footsteps of Rico Maierhofer, Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Paul Lee as second draft picks to emerge top freshmen.
He also made a record as the first Rookie of the Year awardee to join the Mythical First Five since Kelly Williams in 2007.
The late Arnie Tuadles was the first to make the feat in 1979 followed by Ricky Brown in 1983, Allan Caidic in 1987, Benjie Paras in 1989, Marlou Aquino in 1996, Danny Seigle in 1999 and Jimmy Alapag in 2003.
Top rookies making the Mythical Second Team were Willie Pearson in 1984, Dondon Ampalayo in 1986, Jojo Lastimosa in 1988, Jun Limpot in 1993, Boybits Victoria in 1994, Danny Ildefonso in 1988, Norwood in 2009 and Paul Lee last year.
Abueva was the third Alaska player to become Rookie of the Year awardee since Eugene Quilban in 1991 and Jeffrey Cariaso four years later.
The Angeles City native, a three-time NCAA Mythical Five awardee and once MVP winner, for a while made a good run at a possible Rookie/MVP season in the pros.
However, a dip in performance and Alaska’s early exit in the season-ending Governors Cup stymied his bid for the epic feat seen in the league just once in 1989 (essayed by Benjie Paras).
Making great strides in his eighth season in the league, Canaleta beat Jervy Cruz, Reynel Hugnatan and Sol Mercado for the Most Improved Player honors.