Will BPC be MVP?

With the PBA’s 45th season reduced to one conference instead of the usual three because of the pandemic, some fans are wondering if the Best Player of the Philippine Cup will automatically be the MVP for the year. It’s possible but there is a difference in the reckoning for the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) and MVP.

PBA head statistician Fidel Mangonon points out that the BPC voting is only through the semifinals of a conference. The MVP voting considers the entire season, including the finals of each conference. The MVP trophy is traditionally given during the Leo Awards that are the highlight of the opening day of the new season.

Last year, San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo won his sixth consecutive MVP award. The finalists in the MVP poll were Fajardo as BPC of the Philippine Cup, TNT’s Jayson Castro as BPC of the Commissioner’s Cup, NorthPort’s Christian Standhardinger as BPC of the Governors Cup and Columbian’s C. J. Perez as the league’s top rookie. Mangonon notes that the BPCs are automatic candidates for MVP. The previous season, Fajardo was BPC in the Philippine and Commissioner’s Cups while Magnolia’s Paul Lee was BPC in the Governors Cup. In 2016-17, there were three different BPCs – Fajardo in the Philippine Cup, San Miguel Beer’s Chris Ross in the Commissioner’s Cup and Barangay Ginebra’s Greg Slaughter in the Governors Cup.

The criteria for selecting the BPC and MVP are statistical points (40 percent), press/media votes (30 percent), players votes (25 percent) and the Commissioner’s office (five percent). A player is eligible for the award if he has seen action in at least 70 percent of his team’s games. The big difference in selecting the BPC and MVP is in the

MVP race, statistical points are gathered from every level of competition, including the playoffs, in each conference. The BPC is restricted to one conference and statistical points are compiled only up to the semifinals. Candidates for BPC are the top five players in statistical points.

Because this season is unique, how to distinguish the BPC from the MVP merits some discussion. “Medyo tricky yung choosing of official candidates for MVP which depends on how many players win BPC in a season,” says Mangonon. “MVP can be BPC of the bubble but has to be from elims to finals. Same with other awards. Should be legit pa rin kasi All-Filipino conference and no imports to take away or dilute everyone’s minutes and stats.”