Photo from PBA

Mikey Williams has put himself in a position to become just the second player to win both the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors after topping the Statistical Points race at the end of the PBA Philippine Cup.

Williams, who led TNT to the title in his first PBA conference, compiled 35.7 SPs following the championship series that saw the Tropang Giga finish off the Magnolia Pambansang Manok Hotshots in five games.

He rose to the top after stellar numbers during the series that earned him the Finals MVP award. That also raised the possibility of Williams equaling the feat of Benjie Paras back in 1989 when he became the first and still only Rookie-MVP winner.

But that will depend on how well Williams and TNT will perform in the season-ending second conference which could start in mid-November.

Williams finished the conference with 18.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists in 23 games.

NorthPort’s Robert Bolick is second with 33.7 SPs while Philippine Cup Best Player of the Conference Calvin Abueva of Magnolia dropped to third at 32.3 SPs.

Magnolia teammate Ian Sangalang stayed in fourth at 32.2 SPs, followed by San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo with 31.8.

Completing the top 10 are NorthPort freshman Jamie Malonzo (30.2), Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Christian Standhardinger (29.5), Phoenix Super LPG’s Jason Perkins (29.4), Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson (29.3) and SMB’s CJ Perez (29.1).

Malonzo is a distant second to Williams in the ROY chase with NLEX’s Calvin Oftana in third at 21.2. Rain or Shine’s Santi Santillan and Meralco’s Alvin Pasaol completed the top five with 16.7 and 13.9.


Source: Manila Bulletin (https://mb.com.ph/2021/11/02/mikey-williams-strong-contender-for-rare-rookie-mvp-award/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=mikey-williams-strong-contender-for-rare-rookie-mvp-award)