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While it took way longer than expected, Nelson Asaytono finally gets his due as he cracks the PBA Greatest Players club after being snubbed twice
MANILA, Philippines – Nelson Asaytono paired brute strength with a versatile skill set and carved out one of the finest careers in PBA history.
He finished as MVP runner-up twice, bagged two Best Player of the Conference plums, made the Mythical First Team three times and the Mythical Second Team four times, and most importantly, won seven championships throughout his 17 years in the league.
So it felt like out of the ordinary when Asaytono was snubbed from the first two batches of the Greatest Players feted in 2000 and 2015.
To add insult to injury, Asaytono was the only player in the top 10 of the all-time scoring list — fifth to be exact with 12,668 points — denied of a Greatest Player distinction at the time.
He ranked only behind Ramon Fernandez (18,996 points), Abet Guidaben (15,775), Alvin Patrimonio (15,091), and Atoy Co (12,994), who were all MVP winners.
But the pride of Oriental Mindoro finally got his due when the PBA named him among the 10 newest additions that completed that 50 Greatest Players as the league celebrated its golden anniversary.
So how great was Asaytono?
“For all of the teams he played for, he was dominating. I consider him one of the best,” 1990 MVP Allan Caidic, who played with Asaytono in San Miguel, said in a mix of Filipino and English.
“Skills-wise, talent-wise, you name it. He was very athletic, he can shoot threes, he can defend. It just happened that he lost a couple of times in the MVP race, but he was always there.”
Asaytono sustained his scoring brilliance for over a decade as he averaged in double figures in each of his first 12 seasons after being drafted second overall by Purefoods in 1989.
Two of those seasons saw Asaytono average at least 20 points, in 1992 and 1997, and those were also the years he nearly captured the coveted MVP plum.
Asaytono put up 22.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 69 games in 1992, helping Swift claim the Third Conference crown and place third in the All-Filipino Conference and fourth in the First Conference.
However, it was Ato Agustin (20.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists) who earned MVP honors as he guided San Miguel to the All-Filipino title on top of a finals appearance in the First Conference and a fourth-place finish in the Third Conference.
Traded to San Miguel, Asaytono solidified his status as a go-to guy as he led the league in scoring in 1997 with 23.1 points on top of 7.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 61 games, although the Beermen failed to win a championship that year and settled for a pair of third-place finishes.
Instead, Patrimonio (20.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists) clinched the last of his four MVP awards after steering Purefoods to the title in the All-Filipino Conference and a finals appearance in the Governors’ Cup.
“He was difficult to guard because he had a lot of moves,” said 1989 and 1999 MVP Benjie Paras, who was drafted ahead of Asaytono. “Those type of players were the most difficult to guard. He was great at the post, he had an outside shot, and he can drive.”
While Asaytono left fans and fellow players in awe with his offensive skills, it was his bruising power that stood out the most.
“He was special, distinct. I have never seen anyone as strong as Nelson’s body, perhaps the closest is Abe King. Everything he showed was because of his innate strength,” said Ronnie Magsanoc, a member of the original 25 Greatest Players.
Paras has the same sentiment.
“I rarely saw Nelson lifting weights … but his body was very natural. His body was strong, he was very talented, and the man was very hardworking,” said Paras.
And despite an aggressive style of play that usually takes a toll on players’ bodies, Asaytono lived up to his “The Bull” moniker as he saw action until the 2006-2007 season.
He played in a total of 820 games with four franchises, spending the last of his years with Red Bull.
“Nelson Asaytono is good in so many ways. More than a scorer, more than a dunker, he was a complete package in that position,” said Magsanoc. “He can play multiple positions and an underrated defensive player. Much deserved to be a part of the PBA’s Greatest 50 Players.” – Rappler.com
