With Pampanga’s best now taking a leap forward in his career after a terrific stint in the MPBL, one question that lingers in the minds of Filipino basketball fans is — is Justine Baltazar the clear GOAT of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL)?
The short answer is … Obviously, yes. But, to break it down to all of you, here’s why we think Balti is already the MPBL’s Greatest of All Time.
Accolades after Accolades after Accolades
It’s true that Baltazar’s reputation already precedes him because of his immeasurable accolades and achievements in the MPBL. In just the span of two years, he gathered two MVP awards, two championships, a back-to-back Finals MVP, an All-MPBL team member, and many many more.
For context, not a single MPBL player in history came close to winning the Finals MVP and the regular season MVP in the same year. Well, not only did Balti make it happen once, he did it two times in a row! He’s also the fastest player to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds after only playing two full seasons in the league. We can go on, but it’ll just prove our point even more.
Baltazar + Pampanga = Dominance
In the past couple of years, when you think of the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, what comes to mind is the word “dominant”. Well, that’s because they have Justine Baltazar in their ranks.
The 6-foot-9 forward led the Northerners to two championships, and during their two-year run, Pampanga was definitely the team to beat. They dominated every team they played and even went undefeated in the playoffs since 2023.
If we’re going to compare the Giant Lanterns to other teams, they were like 1990s Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls which controlled a whole decade, or the 2017-2018 Golden State Warriors with Kevin Durant who didn’t care about anyone and swept their way through the chip, or the death lineup of San Miguel Beermen in the 2010s. Baltazar with Pampanga is very similar to those teams, and it was clear why. In short, Pampanga was always the team to beat every year. Did you also know that Baltazar technically brought three championships in Pampanga? After his stint in Japan and a botched contract in Korea, Balti played a while with the Pampanga Delta in the Philippine Super League (PSL) in 2022. The former Green Archer took the victory in the Finals against the Davao Occidental Tigers, making it his first championship for his hometown.
Balti: The Best on Both Ends of the Floor
There’s a reason why Baltazar was unstoppable in the MPBL, picked first overall in the PBA, and is also a Gilas Pilipinas stalwart. Not only is he a behemoth on offense with excellent scoring in the post, but Justine Baltazar is also a beast on defense.
The two-time champ is a nightmare to defend— even against 6’5’’ or 6’6’’ guys in the MPBL— and he’s also one of the most disruptive rim protectors and the most tenacious rebounder in league history. As a veteran, it’s quite normal seeing Baltazar going up for 25 points, 20 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while also destroying the best contenders in the league. It’s insane how a player of his size and frame is equally great on offense and defense.
It was truly an amazing MPBL career, maybe one that won’t be replicated very soon. However, with his transition to the biggest league in the Philippines, fans and pundits alike are now wondering: How good will Justine Baltazar be in the PBA?
Until then, we guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
