Author: John Michael Decierdo Agustin
Photo Credit: MPBL
The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League season 6 is coming to a close, and as we come nearer to the playoffs, we’re diving deep down into the top player rankings! Who’s dominating the court and making their league MVP case?
Will McAloney (Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards)
William “Bill” McAloney Jr. had just won the 2024 MPBL All-Star MVP in September, and it’s not far-fetched for him to win the league season MVP this year.
Last season, McAloney was also a candidate for the MVP award. Although his efficiency and leadership are putting Nueva Ecija on the map, being the third-best team in the North, just behind San Juan and Pampanga, he’ll be battling the brightest stars in the league for the award.
2024 MPBL Season 6 Stats:
| PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PFG% |
| 13.1 | 6.6 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 0.9 | 58.2 | 0 |
Orlan Wamar Jr. (San Juan Knights)
San Juan is on top of the standings, and one of the reasons for this is the three-point king, Orlan Wamar Jr. Although his numbers are slightly lower than that of the other MVP candidates, Wamar is equally as valuable as the other guys on this list.
Not only can he light it up from the three-point line, but Wamar can also become a floor general for the Knights.
2024 MPBL Season 6 Stats:
| PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PFG% |
| 12.7 | 3.6 | 6.0 | 1.8 | 0.2 | 46.2 | 38.1 |
Greg Slaughter (Manila SV Batang Sampaloc)
Why is Greg Slaughter in this discussion?
Last year, Manila was in the bottom three of the North division after only winning 4 games throughout the 5th season of MPBL. However, with the addition of the 36-year-old Slaughter, the Manila SV Batang Sampaloc, formerly the Manila Stars, have clinched the spot for the 2024 playoffs after securing the 4th seed in the North, thanks to great numbers given by Gregzilla.
Slaughter is showing some signs of age, but he’s still as dominant as he was in his prime. At 36, in just his first year back in the Philippines, Slaughter easily becomes a top 5 scorer and rebounder in the league.
Manila is surely a contending team with the kind of roster they have and the North division will see some intense battles going forward, with Manila activating Slaughter and Rabeh Al-Husaini this year.
2024 MPBL Season 6 Stats:
| PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PFG% |
| 16.0 | 9.9 | 2.4 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 66.4 | 21.4 |
Jaycee Marcelino (Zamboanga Master Sardines)
There’s no doubt that Zamboanga’s Jaycee Marcelino is a frontrunner for the 2024 MPBL MVP once again. The 2022 MVP is putting up great numbers for the Master Sardines, and as a result, they have been continuously on top of the rankings in the South division.
Just like Justine Baltazar, Marcelino can also show his presence on both ends of the floor. A solid scorer who can get 20 to 30 points on any given night while also making defensive stops. The 28-year-old forward also leads the league both in scoring (19.5 PPG) and steals (2.4 SPG).
2024 MPBL Season 6 Stats:
| PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PFG% |
| 19.5 | 6.4 | 4.8 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 44.9 | 29.8 |
Justine Baltazar (Pampanga Giant Lanterns)
The Pampanga Giant Lanterns’ superstar forward, Justine Baltazar, may win it again this year and become the back-to-back MVP after another solid season.
Balti isn’t just an offensive behemoth but also a top-tier rebounder and defender. Aside from being an unstoppable force in the paint, the reigning MVP also happens to be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate this year, making him one of the best, if not the best, two-way players in the league right now.
What makes Balti number one? Well, Justine Baltazar is at least in the top 5 in every major category in the league. He’s leading the league in rebounds, 5th in scoring, 5th in blocks, and even 5th in total assists. He’s also mainly one of the reasons Pampanga is a championship contender.
However, this may be his last stint in the MPBL after being drafted first overall by the Converge FiberXers in the PBA earlier this year.
2024 MPBL Season 6 Stats:
| PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | FG% | 3PFG% |
| 15.0 | 14.8 | 6.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 52.2 | 17.2 |
