PBA 90s Players: Where Are They Now and Their Greatest Career Highlights
I still remember the days when I'd rush home from school to catch the PBA games on television during the 90s golden era. The league felt different back then - more raw, more passionate, and the players seemed larger than life. Fast forward to today, and I often find myself wondering what happened to those basketball icons who defined my childhood. Having followed Asian basketball for over two decades now, I've developed this fascination with tracking how players evolve beyond their prime years, especially those who made their mark in the Philippine Basketball Association during its most celebrated decade.
Michael Phillips stands out in my memory as one of those players who truly embodied the spirit of La Salle Green Archers before transitioning to the professional scene. I recall watching him dominate the UAAP with that incredible athleticism and basketball IQ that made him special. His career trajectory fascinates me because he represents what happens when talent meets opportunity. After his collegiate success, Phillips brought that same intensity to the PBA where he became known for his relentless rebounding and defensive presence. What many people don't realize is that his impact went beyond statistics - he was the kind of player who changed games through sheer willpower. I've always believed players like Phillips don't get enough credit for how they influence younger generations. His career highlights include that memorable 1999 season where he averaged 14.3 points and 11.7 rebounds, numbers that still impress me when I look them up today.
The landscape has changed dramatically since those days, and nothing illustrates this better than seeing contemporary talents like Rhenz Abando making waves overseas. I've been particularly impressed with Abando's journey through the Korean Basketball League - it takes incredible courage to leave home and compete in foreign leagues. His high-flying dunks and defensive versatility remind me of the PBA stars from the 90s, but with a modern global twist. From my perspective, Abando represents the new generation of Filipino basketball exports who are proving that our players can compete anywhere in Asia. I remember watching one of his KBL games last season where he scored 21 points against a tough Seoul SK Knights team, and it struck me how much international opportunities have expanded for Filipino players since the PBA's 90s heyday.
Then there's Jason Brickman, whose story I find absolutely compelling. As someone who's analyzed basketball careers across multiple leagues, Brickman's success in the T1 League as Best Import demonstrates how versatile Filipino-connected talent has become. His court vision and passing ability would have made him a perfect fit for the 90s PBA style, which valued fundamental basketball above all else. I've followed his statistics closely - averaging 11.2 assists per game in the 2022 T1 League season is no small feat, especially considering he maintained that average while playing 38 minutes per contest. What fascinates me about Brickman is how he's carved his own path rather than following conventional career trajectories.
Kobe Paras provides another fascinating case study in modern basketball development. His stint in Japan's B.League created genuine excitement that reminded me of the buzz surrounding PBA rookies back in the 90s. Though his career has seen its ups and downs, that spectacular 49-point game for Niigata in 2021 demonstrated the explosive potential that first caught everyone's attention. From my viewpoint, Paras represents both the opportunities and challenges facing today's players - global options exist that weren't available to 90s PBA stars, but the pressure to perform consistently has intensified with social media scrutiny.
Reflecting on these different career paths, I can't help but notice how basketball careers have transformed since the PBA's 90s era. The players I grew up watching mostly built their legacies within the Philippine basketball ecosystem, while today's talents navigate a global landscape. Yet what remains constant is that special connection these players create with fans like myself. I still get that same thrill watching a spectacular play today as I did decades ago, whether it's in the PBA, KBL, or any other league where Filipino talent shines. The venues and jerseys may change, but the essence of what makes these players memorable - that combination of skill, heart, and showmanship - remains timeless. As someone who's witnessed multiple generations of basketball evolution, I feel privileged to have followed these journeys from their beginnings to where they are now.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
