Third top defender award for Arwind

MANILA, Philippines — Arwind Santos remains as one of the top defensive players in the PBA even at age 41.

The evergreen big man is hailed by the PBA Press Corps as its Defensive Player of the Year and will be recognized with the prestigious honor during the 2022 PBAPC Awards Night at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center Tuesday.

Santos, who turned a new leaf just two weeks ago, will be receiving his third Defensive Player of the Year trophy after bagging the same award in 2008 and 2011.

The NorthPort veteran became only the third player to be bestowed the honor a third time, next to Chris Jackson and Marc Pingris.

At 41, Santos is the oldest to win the accolade given by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat.

The award is just the latest to be received by the former UAAP MVP out of Far Eastern University, who’s obviously getting a second wind in his PBA career.

He was earlier named part of Season 46 Mythical First Team and member of the All-Defensive team during the Leo Awards.

His inclusion in the All-Defensive Team was his eighth, joining the company of some of the league’s best defenders of all time such as Pingris, Jerry Codiñera, and Glenn Capacio.

Santos missed being named part of the All-Defensive Team the last six seasons after initially being member of the select team seven straight times since turning pro in 2006.

The pride of Pampanga averaged 14.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and a league-best 1.5 blocks per game last season playing for San Miguel, and later with NorthPort.

The numbers were impressive enough that Santos was in the running for the Best Player of the Conference award during the Governors’ Cup.

In his 16-year pro career, Santos won MVP honor in 2013, is a nine-time champion, twice Finals MVP by the PBA Press Corps, two-time Best Player of the Conference, a 10-time Mythical First Team member, and 11-time All-Star.