Ramon Fernandez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ramon Fernandez
Fernandez in 2018
Commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission
In office 2016–2022
Personal details
Political party	NPC
Ramon Fernandez Personal information Born (1953-10-03) 3 October 1953 (age 71) Maasin, Leyte, Philippines Nationality Filipino Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) Listed weight 178 lb (81 kg) Career information College USC PBA Draft 1975 / Elevated Selected by the Toyota Comets Pro career 1972–1994 League PBA Career history As player: 1972 San Miguel Corporation Braves 1973–1984 Toyota 1984–1985 Beer Hausen/Manila Beer 1985–1987 Tanduay Rhum Makers 1988 Purefoods Hotdogs 1988–1994 San Miguel Beermen As coach: 1988 Purefoods Hotdogs Career highlights and awards 19× PBA champion (1975 First, 1975 Second, 1977 Invitational, 1978 All-Filipino, 1978 Invitational, 1979 Invitational, 1981 Open, 1982 Reinforced Filipino, 1982 Open, 1986 Reinforced, 1986 All-Filipino, 1987 Open, 1988 Reinforced, 1989 Open, 1989 All-Filipino, 1989 Reinforced, 1992 All-Filipino, 1993 Governors', 1994 All-Filipino) 5× PBA All-Star (1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994) 4× PBA Most Valuable Player (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988) 13× PBA Mythical First Team (1976–1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992) 3× PBA Mythical Second Team (1985, 1987, 1990) 2× PBA scoring champion (1983–1984) PBA All-Time Scoring Leader 50 Greatest Players in PBA History (2000 selection) PBA Hall of Fame Class of 2005 No. 19 retired by the San Miguel Beermen Medals Men's basketball Representing  Philippines FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship Gold 1972 Manila Team competition FIBA Asia Championship Gold 1973 Manila Team competition Asian Games Silver 1990 Beijing Team competition

Ramon Sadaya Fernandez is a famous Filipino former professional basketball player. He was born on October 3, 1953. He is also a former commissioner of the Philippine Sports Commission. Fernandez is known for winning four PBA Most Valuable Player awards. He also holds a record of 19 PBA titles.

Fernandez was 6 feet 4 inches tall for most of his career. But because of a mild condition called gigantism, he grew to 6 feet 5 inches in his last seasons. He scored 18,996 points, making him the PBA's all-time scoring leader. He also leads the PBA in rebounds, blocked shots, and free throws made. He is second in assists, games played, and steals. He played for five teams during his PBA career: Toyota, Manila Beer, Tanduay, Purefoods, and San Miguel. Many people consider him one of the greatest players in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Ramon Fernandez's Basketball Journey

Early Career and National Team Play

Ramon Fernandez finished college at the University of San Carlos in Cebu. In 1972, he joined the San Miguel Braves. They played in the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA). The next year, he moved to the new Komatsu Komets team. This team later became the Toyota Comets.

He was also a part of several national basketball teams. These included teams for the 1972 ABC Under-18 Championship and the 1973 ABC Championship. He also played in the 1974 FIBA World Championship and the 1974 Asian Games. Later, he joined the team for the 1990 Asian Games.

Joining the PBA and Toyota's Success

Fernandez started playing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) in 1975. His team, the Toyota Comets, was one of the first nine teams in the league. With teammates like Robert Jaworski and Francis Arnáiz, Toyota won nine championships between 1975 and 1983. Fernandez won his first PBA Most Valuable Player award in 1982 while playing for Toyota.

Moving Teams and More MVP Awards

After Toyota's team was dissolved in 1984, Fernandez and some former Toyota teammates joined Beer Hausen. Fernandez won his second MVP award in 1984. This was during his first season with Beer Hausen. In 1985, he moved to Tanduay.

From 1986 to 1987, Fernandez helped Tanduay win three PBA championships. He won his third MVP award in 1986.

Purefoods and San Miguel Years

Tanduay's team was also dissolved before the 1988 season. The team's rights were bought by Purefoods. Fernandez became a playing coach for this new, young team. He led them to a second-place finish in the 1988 Open Conference. Later that year, Fernandez moved to San Miguel Beer. He helped the Beermen win the 1988 Reinforced Conference Championship. He also won his fourth MVP Award that year. This made him the first and only player to win four MVP awards with four different teams.

Fernandez was a key player in San Miguel's amazing "grand slam" in 1989. This meant they won all three championships in one season. He also made up with his rival, Robert Jaworski, during the All-Star Game that year. Their handshake on the court showed that their long rivalry was over.

In 1990, Fernandez was part of the Philippine national basketball team. They won a silver medal at the Beijing Asian Games. He retired from the PBA in 1994.

Career Records and Achievements

Ramon Fernandez finished his PBA career with many records. He is the all-time leader in points scored with 18,996. He is also first in total rebounds with 8,652 and first in blocked shots with 1,853. He played 1,074 games in his career.

Life After Basketball

Fernandez with the Philippines women's national football team at the 2021 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi

After his basketball career, Fernandez tried to become a senator in 1995 but did not win. In 1998, he became the first commissioner of the Metropolitan Basketball Association.

In 2000, he was named one of the PBA's 25 Greatest Players. This was a special honor given during the league's anniversary.

In 2003, Fernandez became the Commissioner of the Collegiate Champions League tournament. He also played in a special reunion game between the Toyota Tamaraws and the Crispa Redmanizers.

He also became the Commissioner of the United Regional Basketball League in 2004. Fernandez was inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 2005. He also started a business selling bottled spiced vinegar called "Suka ni El Presidente."

In 2016, Fernandez was appointed as one of the commissioners of the Philippine Sports Commission. In 2018, he joined the Board of Directors for UGE Philippines. This company works with solar energy. He was also the temporary head of the Philippine Sports Commission for a time.

Understanding Gigantism

In 2015, Fernandez shared that he has a mild case of gigantism. This is a condition where a person grows taller than average. He noticed he had grown to 6 feet 7 inches. During his basketball career, his height was usually listed as 6 feet 4 or 6 feet 5 inches.

Ramon Fernandez's Legacy in Basketball

Fernandez is remembered as one of the most popular players from the PBA's best years. He is still a very well-known figure in Philippine basketball today. He often attends PBA Legends Reunion games.

Fernandez was a very versatile player. He could play almost any position on the court. He was known for his amazing dribbling skills, which was unusual for a tall player back then. He also had incredible passing ability and unique moves near the basket. He could dribble the ball the full length of the court after getting a rebound. He would then finish with a layup or a fancy pass. He learned to dribble so well because he played point guard in high school when he was shorter.

He was famous for his special one-handed running shot, called "the elegant shot." He could play facing the basket or with his back to it. He was also very good at creating his own shots and space on the court. This was remarkable because most tall players usually stay close to the basket.

Fernandez was also very good with both hands. He could switch the ball from his right hand to his left hand easily. One of his famous moves was the "kili-kili" (armpit) shot. He would fake a shot with one hand, then switch the ball to the other hand for a scoop shot under the defender's armpit. This often led to a foul.

He had a hook shot that was hard to stop and a unique fading-away layup. His "elegant shot" often came after a cross-over dribble. He used many clever moves like pivot moves, pump fakes, and no-look passes. He performed these moves perfectly.

His passing was very accurate and often came at important moments in the game. Defenders like Philip Cezar and Abe King said Fernandez was the toughest player they ever had to guard.

Fernandez was not the most athletic player in the PBA. He was thin for a center and did not jump very high. He rarely did slam-dunks in his twenty-year career. But he made up for these things with his amazing skills and high basketball IQ. He was also mentally tough. He could control many parts of the game. His MVP season in 1984 was incredible. He almost averaged a triple-double, showing how dominant he was.

Basketball Achievements

PBA Honors

• 4-time Most Valuable Player (1982, 1984, 1986, 1988)
• Member of the 1989 San Miguel Grand Slam Team
• 13-time Mythical First Team Selection (1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992)
• 3-time Mythical Second Team Selection (1985, 1987, and 1990)
• 6-time PBA All-Star
• PBA All-Time Scoring Leader
• Member of PBA's 25 Greatest Players
• Member of PBA's 40 Greatest Players
• PBA Hall of Fame Class of 2005

Other Achievements

• Member, 1972 Asian Youth, Manila, Philippines
• Member, 1973 Asian Basketball Confederation, Manila. (ABC-NOW FIBA ASIA)
• Member, 1974 Mundo Basket, San Juan, Puerto Rico(World Basketball Championship)
• Member, 1974 Asian Games, Tehran, Iran
• Member, 1990 Asian Games, Beijing, China
• 1994 Asian Games Assistant Coach
• Metropolitan Basketball Association Commissioner 1998-1999

PBA Career Statistics

Coaching Career

PBA Coaching Record

Notes

See also

In Spanish: Ramón Fernández (baloncestista) para niños