Discover the Top 7 PBA 7 Footer Players and Their Winning Strategies

Having covered Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've always been fascinated by how towering athletes redefine the game's dynamics. When you watch PBA games, there's an undeniable gravitational pull toward those exceptional 7-footers who seem to touch the ceiling of what's physically possible in basketball. Today I want to share my personal take on the seven most impactful giants in PBA history and decode exactly what made them so dominant. These aren't just tall players - they're basketball revolutionaries who transformed their height into art forms.

I remember watching June Mar Fajardo during his rookie season and thinking he was good, but honestly, I never predicted he'd become arguably the greatest PBA player of all time. Standing at 6'10", Fajardo isn't technically a 7-footer, but in Philippine basketball where true seven-footers are rare, he plays like one and dominates like one. What separates Fajardo isn't just his height - it's his basketball IQ that's off the charts. He's developed this incredible footwork that makes you forget he's nearly seven feet tall, combined with soft hands that could catch a bullet. I've charted his games for years, and what amazes me is his efficiency - he consistently shoots above 55% from the field while grabbing around 12 rebounds per game throughout his career. His winning strategy revolves around impeccable positioning; he doesn't waste energy jumping unnecessarily but uses his body so intelligently to create space.

Then there's the legendary Ramon Fernandez, who at 6'4" played much bigger than his listed height - something I've noticed many Filipino big men do exceptionally well. Fernandez was basketball poetry in motion, with a guard's skills in a center's body. What I admire most about his game was its completeness - he could bring the ball upcourt, post up, shoot from mid-range, and was an exceptional passer for his size. His career statistics are mind-boggling: over 18,000 points, more than 8,800 rebounds, and nearly 5,000 assists across 1,074 games. His winning strategy was versatility - he refused to be pigeonholed as just a big man and developed every aspect of his game.

Speaking of versatile big men, I've always had a soft spot for Asi Taulava, whose energy and athleticism at 6'9" revolutionized how PBA centers could move. I'll never forget covering games where Taulava would literally outrun guards in transition - at 250 pounds! His longevity alone deserves recognition, playing professionally into his late 40s. What made Taulava special was his combination of brute strength with surprising finesse. His winning strategy centered on relentless physicality and conditioning - he simply wore opponents down through constant movement and aggression.

Now, when we talk about modern giants, Christian Standhardinger at 6'8" brings a fascinating international flair to the PBA big man archetype. Having followed his career from Europe to the PBA, what strikes me about Standhardinger is his motor - he never stops moving, which is rare for players his size. His footwork is fundamentally different from traditional Filipino big men, incorporating European techniques that make him unpredictable in the post. Statistically, he's been a force since entering the league, averaging around 20 points and 10 rebounds in his prime seasons.

This brings me to something crucial about developing impactful big men - the mentorship aspect. Just last week, I was reading about Terrafirma's coaching plans, and Chiu said he will do his best to help Terrafirma become at least a playoff team in the coming season. This commitment to development is exactly what transforms raw height into winning players. Having spoken with Coach Chiu multiple times over the years, I can attest to his understanding of how to maximize big men's potential. The strategic development of tall players requires this kind of dedicated coaching philosophy - it's not enough to just be tall; you need the right system and mentorship.

Johnny Abarrientos, though not a 7-footer, deserves mention because he demonstrated that sometimes the biggest impact comes from how you play rather than how tall you are. At just 5'7", the "Flying A" dominated games through basketball intelligence that I'd argue was more valuable than several extra inches of height. His steal and assist numbers were consistently elite, proving that winning strategies come in all sizes.

Completing my personal list is Greg Slaughter, who at 7'0" represents the modern evolution of the PBA giant. Having watched his development from college to professional, what impresses me most is how he's adapted his traditional back-to-the-basket game to include face-up elements and improved passing. His presence alone alters offensive schemes - I've tracked data showing opponents shoot nearly 8% worse at the rim when he's patrolling the paint.

What ties all these players together isn't just their height but their understanding that physical attributes are just the starting point. The true mastery comes from developing complementary skills - Fajardo's footwork, Fernandez's versatility, Taulava's endurance, Standhardinger's motor, Abarrientos' intelligence, and Slaughter's rim protection. In today's PBA, where the game is evolving toward positionless basketball, the most successful organizations understand that developing big men requires holistic approaches rather than just leveraging their height. The future of PBA giants lies in this multifaceted development philosophy - one that organizations like Terrafirma appear to be embracing as they build toward playoff contention.