Johnny Abarrientos

Infobox NBA Player
name = Johnny Abarrientos
nickname = The Flying A


league = Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)
height_ft = 5 | height_in = 7 | weight_lbs=165
team = Barangay Ginebra Kings
position = Guard
birth_date = Birth date and age|1970|7|17|mf=y
birth_place = Metro Manila
death_date =
death_place =
college = Far Eastern University
nationality = Philippines
draft = 3rd overall
draft_team = Alaska Milkmen
draft_year = 1993
former_teams = PBL: Crispa, Triple-V
PBA: Alaska (1993-2000)
Pop Cola Panthers (2001)
Coca Cola Tigers (2002-2006)
National team
career_start = 1993
career_end =
awards =PBA Most Valuable Player (1996)
UACC All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (2001)

Johnny Abarrientos (born July 17, 1970) is a professional basketball player for the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Basketball Association. He is also a former member of the Philippine National team, as well as a former 1996 PBA MVP, becoming the shortest player to win the said award.

He is also known by many as The Flying A when he started playing for the Alaska Milkmen in 1993.

Amateur career

Abarrientos began his basketball career in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines for the Far Eastern University Tamaraws alongside future pro Victor Pablo and led the Tamaraws to the UAAP crown in the early-1990s.

He also played in the Philippine Basketball League for the Crispa Redmanizers and Triple-V before jumping ship to the PBA.

Professional career

Alaska Milkmen

In 1993, Alaska selected Abarrientos in the 1993 PBA Draft and showed impressive performances in his rookie season. In his second season, he was included in the RP National team bound for the 1994 Asian Games held in Hiroshima, Japan.

From 1994-1998, Abarrientos led Alaska to eight PBA titles, including the grand slam winning 1996 season. He was named as the Most Valuable Player Award during the same season and the Best Player of the Conference in the Commissioner's Cup.

In 1997, talks of Abarrientos' potential participation in the NBA came, when Charlotte Hornets scout Joe Bettancourt offered Abarrientos a contract to participate in the Hornets' pre-season camp. Abarrientos, though, declined the offer to concentrate on his pro career in the PBA. In 1997 Abarrientos average a career high 16.7 Points and a league leading 8.6 Assists Per Game.

In 1998, Abarrientos was included in the Philippine Centennial Team, coached by his Alaska mentor Tim Cone. With him, Alvin Patrimonio and fellow Alaska teammates Kenneth Duremdes, Bong Hawkins and Jojo Lastimosa, the Nationals took home the bronze medal in the Bangkok Asian Games.

Two years later, Abarrientos was named in the PBA's 25 Greatest Players of All-Time as part of the league's anniversary on April 9, 2000. During the same year, Abarrientos' career started to diminish despite the Aces winning the All-Filipino crown. After the season, Abarrientos and Poch Juinio was swapped to the Pop Cola Panthers for Ali Peek and Jon Ordonio.

Pop Cola Panthers

Abarrientos put on a decent performance in his only season with the Panthers in 2001. With Rudy Hatfield and former Alaska teammates Lastimosa and Juinio around, they led Pop Cola to a third-place finish in the All-Filipino Cup. After the year, Pop Cola was bought by San Miguel Corporation and was renamed as the Coca-Cola Tigers.

Coca-Cola Tigers

Prior to joining the Tigers in 2002, Abarrientos was part of the RP Training Pool for the Busan Asian Games but was later cut. He returned later to lead Coca Cola to a third-place finish in the Governors Cup. In the All-Filipino, Abarrientos led his team to the finals against Alaska. After he scored 20 points in the first half of Game 1, Abarrientos left the game with an injury and was sidelined for the rest of the series. The Tigers went on the win the crown 3-1 over his former team.

In 2003, Abarrientos and his team led the Tigers to the 2003 Reinforced Conference title. By the 2004-2005 season, injuries and decline have hampered Abarrientos and saw his minutes diminished. In the 2005-2006 season, Abarrientos shared point guard duties with fellow alumnus, rookie Dennis Miranda and Dale Singson.

Barangay Ginebra Kings

Two weeks before the start of the PBA season, the Coca-Cola Tigers released Abarrientos. Rumors persisted that his former team Alaska and Ginebra were interested in acquiring him. Five days after his release, Abarrientos was signed by Coke's sister team Ginebra to a contract for the 2006-07 season after none of the non-SMC teams showed interest in signing the former 1996 MVP.

He is playing the reserve role to lead point guard Jayjay Helterbrand as his court generalship is an additional factor in the Kings' powerhouse line-up. The Flying A made a memorable moment when he surpassed Ramon Fernandez as the all-time leader in steals on February 5, 2007 as Ginebra defeated the Phone Pals to win their semis matchup, 4-2. Ginebra would go on to win the 2006-07 Philippine Cup against San Miguel, 4-2, with Abarrientos hitting a three-pointer in a crucial stretch of the final game.

Accomplishments

* UAAP Champion
* 1996 PBA MVP
* 12-Time PBA Champion
* Three-Time Member of the RP National Team
* PBA All Time Leaders in Steals(1,302)