CJ Perez finally wins first Best Player of Conference award

CJ Perez finally wins first Best Player of Conference award

CJ Perez of San Miguel and Johnathan Williams of Phoenix Super LPG were named as Best Player of the Conference and Best Import awardees, respectively, for PBA 48th Season Commissioner’s Cup.

The awards were given before Game Four of the finals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

cj perez jericho cruz bpc

PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

A two-time PBA Mythical First Team, a three-time scoring champion, and a Rookie of the Year awardee, Perez captured his first-ever BPC award in a career that started in 2019 when he was drafted first overall by Terrafirma before moving to San Miguel in 2021.

Williams won the award after leading Phoenix Super LPG in a Cinderella ride that led to a semifinal finish this conference. He is the first-ever Best Import winner of the franchise.

Williams pulls off rare feat

He became the first Best Import winner who didn’t reach the finals since Arinze Onuaku of Meralco in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.

Perez got the nod of the media (505) and the players (86), while finishing second in the statistical race (464) for a total of 1055 points, beating stats topnotcher Christian Standhardinger of Barangay Ginebra (777), Arvin Tolentino of NorthPort (559), Calvin Oftana of TNT (472), and Scottie Thompson of Ginebra (446).

Williams took the Best Import award by topping the media votes (424), placing second in the statistical points (554) and third in the player votes (39) for a total of 1017. He beat player votes leader Tyler Bey of Magnolia (908), stats leader Bennie Boatwright of San Miguel (878), and Tony Bishop of Barangay Ginebra (506).