PBA: Robert Bolick sets early pace in Best Player race

NLEX Road Warriors’ Robert Bolick during a game vs TNT Tropang 5G in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–NLEX’s Robert Bolick emerged as the early contender for the Best Player of the Conference in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

Bolick posted 41.9 Statistical Points after the eliminations put him ahead of the derby over 13-time BPC winner June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra’s RJ Abarrientos.

READ: PBA: NLEX felt Robert Bolick’s absence in clutch time, says JB Bahio

Fajardo is ranked second with 39.5 SPs, followed by Abarrientos with 37.5 while Phoenix’s Ricci Rivero (34.9) and Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero (33.5) complete the top five.

In 12 games, Bolick averaged 20.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, a league-best 8.8 assists and 1.8 steals to help the Road Warriors claim the best record in the midseason conference at 10-2.

But his chances of winning the award could end if NLEX doesn’t go past the quarterfinals against No. 8 seed and sister team TNT.

TNT forced a rubber match for a semis berth after Wednesday’s 86-83 win at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. No player has won the BPC after his team was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

Forty-five percent of the statistics will be used to determine the winner, with the rest coming from the media (30%) and the players (25%).

The cutoff is after the semifinals, with the BPC to be announced during Game 4 of the Finals.