The PBA's best and worst monickers of all-time

My best monickers of all-time:

“El Presidente” – Ramon Fernandez looks like a president, plays the game like he owns it, talks like it and acts like it. His favorite move “the Elegant Shot” is fitting for his reputation. Four MVPs. Several championships that includes a 1989 grandslam. Holder of various statistical records. Heck, this guy does it all. Will we ever see a player like him again before the end of the decade?


“The Captain” – He has been everything to Purefoods. Alvin Patrimonio was the heart and soul of the team, the face of the franchise, their leader. Wherever Alvin goes so does Purefoods. He retired in 2005 his game no longer resembling the dominant figure that conquered the league in more than a decade. Despite the deteriorating skills, he was still the Captain of the team and commanded the respects of his younger teammates and coaches. Like Fernandez, he has won 4 MVPs, played for several championships, and ranks among the leaders in several statistical categories. Players like him only come once in a while.

“The Spark” – Mark Caguioa lights up the scoreboard as fast as he can tie up his shoelaces. He is one of the easiest scorers I have ever seen, capable of exploding through the hole with his daredevil drives and booming three pointers. Heck, he can score 30 points even in his sleep.

“Skywalker” – When Samboy Lim levitates through air, spectators wonder how long it would take before he sets his foot on the ground. If Michael Jordan made the act of walking through air a virtual masterpiece in the NBA, Samboy Lim made it a rage in the PBA. His exciting game paved the way for the coming of future acrobats Vergel Meneses, Kenneth Duremdez and Bong Alvarez.

“The Director” – When Hector Calma struts his stuff on the hardwood, you can see a director in action. He has a good feel for the game, has great leadership ability and looks to set up his teammates before shooting. He is a pure point guard in the truest sense. He sets his team’s plays with accurate precision, and makes people around him much better.

“The Living Legend” – Robert Jaworski is nothing like ordinary. His performance on the court for more than two decades of pro ball is a stuff that legends are made of. His charisma and infectious enthusiasm are nonpareil. He is one of the league leaders of all-time in scoring, assists, rebounds, steals and three-point shooting and is considered the most popular and most influential figure to ever grace the PBA scene.

“The Triggerman” – Allan Caidic pulls the trigger like he was some hired gun in the yesteryears. He is a deadshot from anywhere on the court, even from the parking lot. Caidic holds the several scoring records, including a crazy 79-point output and 17 three-pointers in a game against Presto on November 21, 1991. He is considered the best pure shooter of all-time.

"The Bullet” – Dindo Pumaren is as fast as the speeding bullet, hence the nickname. When you see him play, you will have to open your eyes wide open because in a split second he can drive by you or pull up for an unmolested jumper even before the opponent can react.

“The Sultan of Swipes” – Bernie Fabiosa is one of the all-time league leaders in steals. He is a master of taking the ball out of the hands of the opposition. He does all the tricks within the confines of the basketball court to take away your size advantage against him. He is considered one of the best defensive guards of all-time.

“Fortune Cookie” – Atoy Co got his nickname from his first name (which is by the way, Fortunato) and Chinese ancestry. A fortune cookie, according to the Chinese, can bring good or bad luck to a family who possesses it. Atoy Co has pretty much brought good karma to his team (Crispa and Great Taste) and bad luck to teams who face them.


My worst monickers of all-time:

“The Saint” – Sure, Ronald Tubid is quite a deadringer for the actor (Val Kilmer) who played the lead role for the movie “The Saint” but that does not justify him being called the Saint because he is neither a Saint on the court nor is he a master of deception like the character portrayed in the movie. His other nickname “Fearless” better suits his game. What about, the “Master of the Flop”?

“The Main Man” – When Jun Limpot was drafted and became the main man of Sta. Lucia Realtors, it was with a premise that he would one day surpass the exploits of Alvin Patrimonio – winning championships for Sta. Lucia and winning MVP plums. Well, it didn’t happen. After signing a fat contract that was the league maximum, he did not dominate the lane as well as he should, even getting outshone by former teammate Dennis Espino who came into the league two years after he made his pro debut. The enormous expectations may have been too big for Limpot to handle. He never became the next Patrimonio. He didn’t even become the next Nelson Asaytono. After 7 years with the Realtors, he was traded to Ginebra and then to Purefoods and although he had moments of brilliance, he did not play nor perform as the team’s main man.

“The Hawk” – This hawk does not fly. He is not even athletic. Bong Hawkins is probably one of the most cunning defenders ever, with similar defensive stance as many time defensive team member Chris Jackson. He plays below the rim, uses his body and quick hands to defend against the league’s other big men. The monicker was grabbed from his last name and is a terrible fit. Quite a great disservice to one of the league’s top big men of all-time!

“The Menace” – You’ve seen the movie, right? Unfortunately, this Dennis is no menace. Power is his game, using his bulk to bully his way inside the paint. Although he was once upon a time a member of the Defensive team, he hardly looks menacing on the court. On offense, he plays it cool, does nothing fancy, does nothing that breaks the law.

“Mr. Pure Energy” – This nickname was already used by Gary Valenciano and no, he is no boundless energy on the loose. He plays hard on both ends of the court, dives for looseballs, grabs rebounds with gusto but not in the same way as other energy guys of the league as Paul Artadi, Ronald Tubid, Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Marc Pingris, and Rudy Hatfield.

“The Kid” – 7 years into the league and this cager is still dubbed as the Kid. What Kerby Raymundo does for Purefoods is certainly no kid stuff. He is man and the rest of his game is mature. He moves like a guard, can play inside or outside and is considered one of the league’s top frontliners and a perennial MVP contender. Or are you talking about his “Akong ang tunay na MVP” stance during the Red Bull-Purefoods finals rendezvous two years ago?

“The 4th Quarter Man” – Jojo Lastimosa earned the nick because of his incredible exploits at crunchtime. He seemed to have nerves of steel when the game clock is ticking at the waning seconds of the game. No one I think is better when the trumpet sounding the start of the final canto is blown. The monicker, however, does not lend credence to Lastimosa’s game-long performance. One may think he starts to play seriously only in the fourth quarter and takes it easy the first three quarters. Lastimosa is a great performer who plays well not only in the fourth but also during the earlier parts of the game.

“The Snatcher” – Wynne Arboleda is one of the league top defensive guards. He is ballhawk, and leads the league in steals. Is that enough to classify him as some small-time character out to do some mischiefs? In that case, he better be wary of the General?

“Quick Brown Fox” – Ricky Brown is quick and plays cunningly like a fox so is that an apt nickname? So what’s next? He jumps over a lazy (Norman) Black dog? You gotta be kidding me. Even kindergarten kids know what follows after that ridiculous nick.

“The Golden Boy” – Noy Castillo is no Oscar de la Hoya. Like gold, he shines at times but not consistently enough to live up to the billing as the next Allan Caidic or even the next Ricky Brown. Sure, his hair is golden but his game is not, at least at the level you would have expected him to after being picked number 2 overall after Danny Ildefonso.