| 1988 PBA season | |
|---|---|
| League | Philippine Basketball Association |
| Sport | Basketball |
| TV partner/s | Vintage Sports (PTV) |
| Regular season | |
| Season MVP | Ramon Fernandez (Purefoods/San Miguel) |
| Top scorer | Ramon Fernandez (Purefoods/San Miguel) |
| Finals | |
| Open Conference champions | San Miguel Beermen |
| Open Conference runners-up | Purefoods Hotdogs |
| All-Filipino Conference champions | Anejo Rum 65ers |
| All-Filipino Conference runners-up | Purefoods Hotdogs |
| Reinforced Conference champions | San Miguel Beermen |
| Reinforced Conference runners-up | Shell Rimula X Oilers |
The 1988 PBA season was the 14th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Season highlights[]
- The Tanduay Rhum Makers filed a leave on absence for the 1988 season on January 16, 1988, citing realignment of corporate objectives. After Tanduay filed a leave, some remnants were absorbed, along with several amateur prospects by Purefoods Corporation, which joined the league after buying a franchise worth P300,000.
- PBA deputy commissioner Rudy Salud became the league's third commissioner. Under Salud's leadership, the PBA soared to greater heights, the Purefoods Hotdogs' entry, along with the never-say-die attitude of the league's most popular team Añejo Rum 65ers, contributed largely to a box-office success in gate attendance, they become known as "Manila Classico".
- Amateur standout Alvin Patrimonio, who was a subject of a bitter tug-of-war between the PBA's newest team Purefoods Hotdogs and his mother ballclub in the PABL, corporate rival RFM-Swifts, finally made his PBA debut on June 30.
- A blockbuster trade took place before the opening of the Third Conference as veterans Ramon Fernandez of Purefoods, who was bench in the All-Filipino title-series, and Abet Guidaben of San Miguel were traded to each other by their respective ballclubs.
- Ramon Fernandez won his fourth Most Valuable Player trophy as he continued his tradition of winning the prestigious award every two years starting in 1982.
Champions[]
- Open Conference: San Miguel Beermen
- All-Filipino Conference: Añejo Rum 65ers
- Reinforced Conference: San Miguel Beermen
- Team with best win-loss percentage: San Miguel Beermen (46-26, .639)
- Best Team of the Year: San Miguel Beermen (1st)
Individual awards[]
- Most Valuable Player: Ramon Fernandez (Purefoods, San Miguel)
- Rookie of the Year: Jojo Lastimosa (Purefoods)
- Most Improved Player: Alvin Teng (San Miguel)
- Best Import-Open Conference: Jamie Waller (Ginebra)
- Best Import-Reinforced Conference: Bobby Parks (Shell)
- Mythical Five:
*Ricardo Brown (San Miguel) *Hector Calma (San Miguel) *Abet Guidaben (San Miguel, Purefoods) *Ramon Fernandez (Purefoods, San Miguel) *Allan Caidic (Great Taste/Presto)
- Mythical Second Team:
*Robert Jaworski (Ginebra/Añejo) *Jojo Lastimosa (Purefoods) *Jerry Codiñera (Purefoods) *Elpidio Villamin (Alaska) *Dondon Ampalayo (Ginebra/Añejo)
- All-Defensive Team:
*Abe King (Great Taste/Presto) *Philip Cezar (Great Taste/Presto) *Elpidio Villamin (Alaska) *Robert Jaworski (Añejo) *Biboy Ravanes (Alaska)