There's no arguing that June Mar Fajardo is one of the greatest Filipino basketball players of all time. The résumé says it all: eight-time PBA MVP, 11-time champion with a single franchise -- numbers that scream "GOAT" territory.
Dominance in the local league has made him a fixture on every Gilas Pilipinas roster for more than a decade. He debuted in the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship and has represented the country in 13 tournaments since. Yet, his international averages of 6.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 0.7 assists paint a far different picture from his PBA numbers -- a gap that sparks plenty of questions.
So with the recent chatter with his play in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, what exactly does Fajardo bring in the international game? Is he still a valuable asset for Gilas, or has he become more of a liability on the floor?
Fajardo's post game still impactful
At this stage of his career, with all the mileage on his body, a Fajardo post-up is still one of the best options to generate points for Gilas. Head coach Tim Cone often draws up after-timeout plays to get him the ball on the low block after a well-timed cross screen.
The idea is simple: Either let him go to work in single coverage or force the defense to send extra help, which immediately triggers rotations and opens up passing lanes for kick-outs or cutters. Even when defenses know it's coming, they still have to respect it.
Through five games in the Asia Cup, Fajardo averaged just 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 15.9 minutes per game. However, the raw production doesn't tell the full story. His 55% shooting from two-point range remains efficient, especially considering that most of his looks come against the opposing team's biggest and strongest defenders.
The touches he gets may be fewer, but the scoring chances he creates, directly or indirectly, still hold value in the half-court sets of the triangle offense.
What keeps him relevant in the international game is his post gravity. Even now, he commands the kind of attention down low that very few Asian bigs can demand. Defenses often dig down or send a hard double when he's in his sweet spots, knowing he has one of the softest touches in the paint among Gilas' big men.
Whether he's sealing deep for an easy drop-step or backing down into a short hook, his ability to finish efficiently forces defenses to pick their poison, which is why his presence on the block still matters.
Fajardo's atrocious defense in the pick-and-roll
For all of Fajardo's dominance on the offensive end, his defense in pick-and-roll situations is where opponents attack first. Cone has him in a conservative drop most of the time, which keeps him closer to the paint but also gives ball-handlers plenty of space to pull up or build momentum toward the rim.
In international play -- where guards are quicker, more decisive, and can knock down 3s at a high clip -- this can be a major defensive risk. Teams know that forcing him into repeated ball-screen actions will test his mobility.
Throughout the tournament, it was noticeable how opposing guards were comfortable pulling up when Fajardo sagged too deep, or turned the corner to attack him downhill before help could rotate. Against Saudi Arabia, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman exploited Fajardo multiple times and scored on ball screens that involved him.
The drop coverage did help him keep his rebounding position and provided some deterrence at the paint, but it also put a lot of pressure on Gilas' point-of-attack defenders to fight through screens quickly. When they didn't, the defense often broke down before the big man could contest. This was the one of the main reasons why the Philippines' had such an awful defense for the Asia Cup.
At the heart of the problem is that Fajardo never truly developed lateral quickness to handle these actions at a higher level. In the PBA -- where the pace is slower, shooting is not at the level that he can be exposed, and most bigs operate inside the arc -- Fajardo could get away with relying on size and rim protection alone.
But in FIBA play, international opponents understand this and will spam high ball screens to pull him away from his comfort zone, especially with the skill set they possess. Fajardo's inability to vary his pick-and-roll coverage means Gilas often has to compensate by overloading help, which can compromise their defensive spacing. Against the best teams, that margin for error becomes razor-thin.
So should Fajardo still continue to play for Gilas?
Fajardo will almost certainly suit up for Gilas in the World Cup Qualifiers later this year, but in a realistic assessment, his role should depend on whether the team can surround him with quick, disciplined point-of-attack defenders who can quickly and efficiently navigate screens. If this isn't the case, Fajardo's effectiveness on offense might not be able to offset what he gives up on the other end and could signal to him being unplayable in the upcoming FIBA tournaments.