PBA Finals MVP award named after Ramon Fernandez

The PBA Finals Most Valuable Player award will now bear the name of basketball icon Ramon Fernandez.

The PBA Press Corps, the body that confers the Finals MVP honor, announced the development on Thursday.

In a statement, Fernandez said he accepted the distinction with gratitude and humility.

“To have the PBA Finals MVP trophy bear my name, especially in this 50th year, the Golden Anniversary of the Philippine Basketball Association, is something I never imagined yet will forever treasure,” Fernandez said.

“This is more than a personal recognition. It is a reminder of a lifetime shaped by the league that gave me purpose, pride, and a second family.”

Reflecting on his storied career in the league, where he won 19 championships and was named among its Greatest Players, Fernandez described the PBA as “my battlefield, my classroom, and my home.”

“It was where I learned discipline, sacrifice, resilience, teamwork, humility, and the meaning of leadership under pressure. Every championship fought for, every Finals series endured, every cheer and every criticism, all of it molded the player and the man I became. I owe so much of who I am today to this league,” he said.

Fernandez also thanked the PBA Press Corps and the league for being integral parts of his journey.

“As future Finals MVPs lift this trophy, may they remember that greatness is not only measured by statistics or championships, but by character, commitment, and love for the game. If this trophy inspires even one player to play harder, lead better, and honor the league that raised us, then this recognition has found its true purpose,” he said.

“The PBA gave me a lifetime of memories. To now be forever woven into its history in this golden season is an honor I will carry with pride until my last breath.”

The naming of the trophy comes 30 years after the PBA Press Corps first awarded the Finals MVP honor, with Jojo Lastimosa winning the inaugural plum in 1996.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News