BAKSHI CAPTURES PLAYOFF MVP HONORS
Hall of Fame guard Hrundi V. Bakshi of Houston earned his second Playoff MVP honor (the second in the past three seasons), as the trio of All-MBA performers from the championship team went 1-2-3 in the voting, with Ching-Chong Chung and Sanjay Patel finishing second and third, respectively.
Bakshi's award marked the fifth MVP honor he has captured in his illustrious career. The 6-7 franchise player has won three regular season MVP awards and two Playoff MVP awards.
And he finally earned a championship ring in this, his sixth MBA campaign.
Bakshi captured regular season MVP honors in his rookie season for Milwaukee, Season 29, repeated that honor with Milwaukee in Season 30, won Playoff MVP in Season 32 in a losing cause for Milwaukee, won regular season MVP for Houston this season, then captured the Playoff MVP in helping Houston to the title.
Bakshi became the 10th player to have won both MVP honors in the same season and the first to turn the impressive trick since Sagittal Occlusal did so for San Jose in Season 27. The complete list is as follows:
Season 3 -- Cappy Gambol in his first year with Milwaukee, leading them to their first title.
Season 6 -- Cappy Gambol, leading Milwaukee to their third title in four seasons.
Season 14-- Stu Nod of Philadelphia, leading the Phobia to their fourth title and first in six seasons.
Season 19 -- Curly Hogbottom of Philadelphia, leading his team to their sixth title -- first non-guard to turn trick.
Season 21 -- Tersio Tataruga of Dallas' second straight title team in a freaky season where he averaged more than 6.2 points more per game than he did in any other season in his career. The lone double MVP winner on this list not in the Hall of Fame. A forward.
Season 22 -- Curly Hogbottom of Philadelphia, led Philly to seventh title.
Season 23 -- Joey Two-Tones of Dallas, sparkling, speedy guard, first double winner to not play on a title team.
Season 25 -- Sagittal Occlusal of San Jose, first and only rookie to turn the trick, leading team to only title.
Season 27 -- Sagittal Occlusal of San Jose, third player to win two double MVPs, second to finish with runner-up team.
Season 30 -- Hrundi V. Bakshi of Houston.
Bakshi's MVP award, the fifth overall of his career, ties him with Curly Hogbottom and Sagittal Occlusal for second place in all-time MVP awards won. First place, all alone, is the great Cappy Gambol with six.
In his six MBA seasons, Bakshi has now accumulated 17 individual honors, placing him tied for seventh place with Link Lennex and Stu Nod as the most honored player in league history. That list, which determines how a player's card is displayed in the Hall of Fame, is as follows
1. Curly Hogbottom -- 25 awards
2. Uncle Bob Masterson -- 21 awards
3. Sagittal Occlusal --19 awards
3. Cappy Gambol -- 19 awards
5. Boone Doggle -- 18 awards
5. Mamadou Zongo -- 18 awards
7. Link Lennex --17 awards
7. Stu Nod -- 17 awards
7. Hrundi V. Bakshi -- 17 awards
10.Diamond Dallas Paige -- 16 awards
10.Jonny Cockaroo -- 16 awards
CHUNG EARNS HALL OF FAME RECOGNITION WITH A FLOURISH
Ching-Chong Chung of the Houston Iguanas became the 36th member of the MBA Hall of Fame with the championship ring placed on his index card following Season 34. Chung was a driving force behind Houston capturing its first MBA title in 22 seasons, putting together his second All-MBA season and leading everyone in playoff scoring with his relentless 19.8 points per game performances.
Chung, who just completed his 9th MBA season, ties Silo Chamberlain as the smallest members of the hallowed Hall, both players being 5-10.
Along with his two All-MBA seasons and the championship ring, Chung has appeared in 7 All Star Games, which ties him for the 6th highest total appearances in the star contest. His five starts in All Star Games is tied for 9th most ever.
He has been his team's high scorer in six of the nine seasons he has been in the league, with a single-season high of 20.2 for Houston in Season 31. Additionally, he has led his teams in assists three times, steals six times, and free throw shooting three times. Despite his diminutive size, Chung has been in double figures in shots blocked six of his nine seasons.
He is the 16th guard elected to the Hall and is currently tied with Doug Fresh for 13th best guard career in history, ranking ahead of fellow Hall of Famers Chamberlain and Oscar Mudcat. He is tied for 26th place in all-time best careers with Alex Pal and Fresh. And there is no reason to believe he will not improve upon all of his totals, beginning next season.
As can be attested by the back of his card, Chung has been a model of consistent excellence throughout his career with first Milwaukee and then Houston.
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