Arwind Santos continues to embrace being role player for San Miguel

MANILA, Philippines—With June Mar Fajardo expected to miss the action this coming PBA season, expect the race for the MVP to be anyone’s game.

While five-time Fajardo is once again a strong contender for the plus for 2019, the San Miguel’s 6-foot-10 center is expected to sit out the whole Philippine Cup because of a fractured right shin.

Names of potential MVP players have started cropping up including Barangay Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar or even former Beerman Christian Standhardinger, who now plays for NorthPort.

The last MVP before Fajardo’s monstrous run atop the league, meanwhile, is already contented with his role for the Beermen as long as he delivers.

“I really don’t have much interest in the award because I’d rather see my team go up the standings,” said Arwind Santos in Filipino during PBA Media Day Thursday. “Of course it’s still important for me that I produce, but it’s always better that if I perform well and the team should too.”

“I really don’t mind if I’m not the no.1 player in individual statistics, as long as the team is playing and getting to the highest level. If I have all these high numbers but the team’s record is going down then that won’t sit well with me.”

Arwind Santos was the PBA’s best player in 2013 after putting up averages of 18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.0 blocks but his offensive production declined throughout the succeeding years.

The 2019 season saw Santos’ output drop to its lowest in his nearly 14-year career at 9.4 points and 5.9 boards as the 38-year-old’s embraced being an ultimate role player in San Miguel’s stacked team.

Nevertheless, Santos still wants to be a reliable player who’s known to give it his all for the Beermen.

“I still need to prepare well for every game so that I can still contribute to the table,” said Santos, who is still regarded as one of the best power forwards in the league. “The supporters won’t accept if I don’t contribute be it in rebounds, or blocks, or assists.”