MANILA, Philippines—Tim Cone is the most decorated coach in PBA history, but he wouldn’t have reached the pinnacle without the legends who paved the way.
Of the many who influenced his career in basketball, Cone singled out a few in the PBA.
“That was NBA, but I was actually more influenced by PBA players,” Cone, who has 22 PBA titles including a pair of Grand Slams under his belt, wrote on Twitter Wednesday.
That was NBA, but I was actually more influenced by PBA players.
1. Robert Jaworski
2. Ramon Fernandez
3. Francis Arnaiz
4. Yoyong Martirez— Tim Cone (@manilacone) March 25, 2020
The Barangay Ginebra mentor cited Robert Jaworski, Ramon Fernandez, Francis Arnaiz, and Yoyong Martirez as those “who made you love basketball when you were growing up.”
Jaworski, whom Cone had said to be the “most important player of all time” in the PBA, and Fernandez, a 19-time champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer, are widely regarded as two of the greatest PBA players ever.
Like Jaworski and Fernandez, Arnaiz and Martires were also part of the Philippine team that won the gold medal in the 1973 Fiba Asia Championship.