30/08/2026
MISMATCH TLGA KAY JUN MAR
For years, whenever I watched June Mar Fajardo play international basketball, there was one thing I kept noticing:
There were so many possessions where the man guarding him simply looked too small.
And every time I saw it, I kept asking the same question:
Why aren't we going to June Mar more?
In the PBA, we already know what happens when you give him deep position. He can punish defenders with his size, footwork, patience and strength.
International basketball is obviously different.
The floor is more crowded. Help defense comes quicker. Teams are better at digging down on the post. Entry passes are harder to make. And in the modern FIBA game, big men are often asked to screen, roll, rebound, defend and create space for guards rather than receive 15 post touches a game.
So maybe it was never as simple as:
"Malaki si June Mar. I-poste lang natin every possession."
But still…
There were games when you could clearly see the mismatch.
A smaller defender behind him.
June Mar sealing.
His hand asking for the ball.
And the possession going somewhere else.
That will probably remain one of my biggest "what ifs" from his Gilas career.
What if we had built a little more of the offense around his ability to punish switches and smaller defenders inside?
Because when June Mar was given opportunities, he showed he could be efficient internationally too. During the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, for example, he averaged 10 points while shooting 65.4% from the field.
But maybe the more important part of his Gilas story isn't what he could have been asked to do.
It's what he was willing to do.
Imagine being one of the most dominant players your country has ever produced.
A nine-time PBA MVP.
A player whose club offense could revolve around him.
Then you put on the Philippine jersey and suddenly you're asked to set screens, battle for rebounds, defend bigger international centers, play limited minutes, sometimes take only two or three shots…
…and you still embrace it.
No complaints.
No demands for touches.
No need to prove that the offense should run through you.
Just do whatever the national team needs.
That, to me, deserves as much respect as all the points, rebounds and MVP trophies.
June Mar's international career was never about replicating his PBA numbers.
It was about adapting.
From being a young big man in 2013…
to playing in the 2014, 2019 and 2023 FIBA World Cups…
to continuing to answer the call for Gilas more than a decade later.
And now, after 13 years, the Kraken finally walks away from international basketball.
Maybe Gilas never completely unlocked the offensive mismatch that was June Mar Fajardo.
We can debate that for years.
But one thing should never be debated:
He gave the national team whatever role was asked of him.
Superstar when needed.
Screen setter when needed.
Rebounder when needed.
Backup when needed.
Veteran when needed.
And most importantly
a Filipino basketball player who kept showing up when his country called.
Salamat, June Mar.
For the battles.
For the sacrifices.
For accepting the role.
And for representing the Philippines with quiet professionalism for more than a decade.
🇵🇭 One of the greatest to ever wear a Gilas jersey.
