As gentle and introverted June Mar Fajardo was as a kid, standing out too much – to the point of getting laughed at for being too tall – makes him hate his own height.

But little did the young Fajardo know, the size which he hated so much was going to be the biggest reason why he would stand alone –as the greatest of all – atop the PBA summit.

Fast forward to the present and the gentle giant who was once bullied is now the owner of a record nine PBA Most Valuable Player awards.

“Sinong magaakala na isang bata na hindi man lang mahilig mag-basketball, pero nandito at mananalo ng nine MVPs, kahit ako mismo hindi ko in-expect na aabot ako sa ganito,” said Fajardo in his naturally deep voice.

“Dati sobrang hate ko yung height ko kasi ako yung pinakamatangkad, lagi akong binu-bully. Pero na-realize ko yun pala yung ultimate gift na binigay ni God sa akin.”

“Yun pala yung magbabago ng buhay ko, buhay ng family ko, buhay ng mga tao sa paligid ko,” he added as the players, including the greats before his time, cheered and clapped in unison during the PBA Season 49 Leo Awards at the Novotel Manila.

True enough, a lot has changed since the time he first picked up a basketball up to now where he became the most dominant player the league has ever seen.

He won six straight MVPs. Broke his tibia. When everybody thought his dominant years were done, he won again. Three straight.

And the latest, he has done by submitting his best rebounding and assisting numbers of his career – 15.1 rpg and 3.1 apg – and after having his best scoring year with 19.2 ppg since the 2017-18 season.

Those were quite a feat for someone who, despite his towering height, never really thought of playing basketball until it offered him a way to study for free.

“Di naman talaga ako mahilig sa basketball. Growing up wala naman talaga yung basketball sa isip ko pero dahil di afford ng parents ko yung college, kailangan gamitin yung height ko para maakapag aral ako,” said Fajardo

“Para ikeep ako ng school kailangan ko mag improve napilitan ako na magpractice at mag improve,” he added.

Fajardo, however, admitted that he thought his career was already over when he suffered a broken shin.

But he persevered.

“Kahit ako nagcross din sa isip ko na baka nga hindi na makakabalik pero ginawa ko yung therapy ko religiously, kasi kung mag give up ako by default talo na ako diba so kung bigyan ko ng chance yung sarili ko, baka makabalik ako and yun nga yung nangyari,” said the 6-foot-10 gentle giant.

“Credit din talaga sa sarili ko. Kasi di ako nag give up. Kung nag give up ako sana wala na ako ngayon. Thankful ako kay God.”