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{{short description|Filipino basketball player}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Nelson Asaytono
| image = 
| caption = 
| league = 
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lbs = 215
| team = 
| career_position = [[Power forward (basketball)|Power forward]]
| career_number = 11, 8
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|1|25}}
| birth_place = [[San Teodoro, Oriental Mindoro]], Philippines
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| college = [[University of Manila|UM]]
| nationality = Filipino
| draft_year_pba = 1989
| draft_round_pba = 1
| draft_pick_pba = 2
| draft_team_pba = [[Magnolia Hotshots|Purefoods Hotdogs]]
| career_start = 1989
| career_end = 2006
| years1 = 1989–1991
| team1 = [[Magnolia Hotshots|Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs]]
| years2 = 1992–1996
| team2 = [[Pop Cola Panthers|Swift/Sunkist]]
| years3 = 1996–1998
| team3 = [[San Miguel Beermen]]
| years4 = 1999–2001
| team4 = [[Pop Cola Panthers|Pop Cola 800s/Panthers]]
| years5 = 2002–2006
| team5 = [[Barako Bull Energy Boosters|Red Bull Thunder/Barako]]
| years6 = 2006
| team6 = [[Pagadian Explorers]]
| highlights = * 7× [[List of Philippine Basketball Association champions|PBA champion]] ([[1990 PBA Third Conference finals|1990 Third]], [[1991 PBA All-Filipino Conference finals|1991 All-Filipino]], [[1992 PBA Third Conference|1992 Third]], [[1993 PBA Commissioner's Cup|1993 Commissioner's]], [[1995 PBA All-Filipino Cup|1995 All-Filipino]], [[1995 PBA Commissioner's Cup|1995 Commissioner's]], [[2002 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals|2002 Commissioner's]])
* 3× [[Philippine Basketball Association Mythical Team|PBA Mythical First Team]] ([[1992 PBA season|1992]], [[1993 PBA season|1993]], [[1997 PBA season|1997]])
* 4× [[Philippine Basketball Association Mythical Team|PBA Mythical Second Team]] ([[1994 PBA season|1994]]–[[1996 PBA season|1996]], [[1998 PBA season|1998]])
* 2× [[Philippine Basketball Association Best Player of the Conference Award|PBA Best Player of the Conference]] ([[1997 PBA All-Filipino Cup|1997 All-Filipino]], [[1998 PBA All-Filipino Cup|1998 All-Filipino]])
* [[50 Greatest Players in PBA History]] (2025 selection)
* 10× [[Philippine Basketball Association All-Star Game|PBA All-Star]] ([[1989 PBA All-Star Game|1989]]–[[1993 PBA All-Star Game|1993]], [[1995 PBA All-Star Game|1995]]–[[1999 PBA All-Star Weekend|1999]])
* [[Philippine Basketball Association Scoring Champion|PBA Scoring Champion]] ({{pbay|1997}})
* 3x [[Philippine Basketball League|PABL]] champion ([[1986 Philippine Amateur Basketball League season|1986 Founder's Cup]], [[1987 Philippine Amateur Basketball League season|1987 Maharlika Cup]], [[1988 Philippine Amateur Basketball League season|1988 Freedom Cup]])
}}

'''Nelson Asaytono''' (born January 25, 1967) is a Filipino retired professional basketball player who played for [[Purefoods Star Hotshots|Purefoods]], [[Pop Cola Panthers|Swift/Sunkist/Pop Cola]], [[San Miguel Beermen|San Miguel Beer]], and [[Barako Bull Energy Boosters |Red Bull]] in the [[Philippine Basketball Association|PBA]] during his 17-year career.

==Collegiate and amateur career==

Asaytono played at the [[University of Manila]] under the tutelage of former pro [[Loreto Tolentino]], his coach at UM Hawks.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 6, 2017 |title=These players prove you don't need to play in major college league to make it to big time |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba-players-came-from-smaller-collegiate-leagues |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref> His first national stint was part of the RP Youth team in Manila's 9th ABC Youth Championships. He became a member of the national team that same year in 1987 under coach [[Joe Lipa]].<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Cuna |first1=Charlie |last2=Mercado |first2=Jay |date=February 16, 2021 |title=National teams in the PBA (Part 2): The Lipa, Pumaren and Toroman eras |url=https://www.espn.ph/basketball/pba/story/_/id/30897937/lipa-pumaren-toroman-eras |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}</ref> Asaytono also played for coach [[Derrick Pumaren]] at Magnolia Ice Cream in the PABL and won three championships.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ulanday |first=John Bryan |date=January 8, 2020 |title=Pumaren back as Archers coach |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2020/01/08/1983073/pumaren-back-archers-coach |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Nelson Asaytono |url=https://philippinebasketball.neocities.org/nelsonasaytono.html |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=philippinebasketball.neocities.org}}</ref>

==Professional career==

===Purefoods Hotdogs===
Asaytono was drafted as the 2nd overall pick by the [[San Mig Super Coffee Mixers|Purefoods Hotdogs]] in [[1989 PBA draft|1989]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=April 12, 2020 |title=PBA legend Nelson Asaytono in recovery after heart attack |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/12/20/pba-legend-nelson-asaytono-in-recovery-after-heart-attack |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=news.abs-cbn.com}}</ref> He played three seasons for the ball club that had most of his former national teammates: [[Jojo Lastimosa]], [[Alvin Patrimonio]], [[Jerry Codiñera]], [[Glenn Capacio]], and [[Dindo Pumaren]]. With Patrimonio as the starting forward, he mostly would come off the bench. He won two championships at Purefoods. In his final season as a Tender Juicy Hotdog in 1991, he had notable performances during the All-Filipino finals against Diet Sarsi.

===Swift/Sunkist===
In late 1991, Asaytono was traded by Purefoods to Swift in exchange for first-round picks in 1994 and 1995.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nazareno |first=Rocky |date=January 3, 1992 |title=P 1-M fine for 'cap' violation |work=Manila Standard |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=W2cVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=igsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5051%2C454111}}</ref> He joined the list of PBA millionaires as he was signed to a lucrative pact by the RFM franchise. For two seasons with Swift, Asaytono made it to the mythical five selection and a decent run at the Most Valuable Player (MVP) plum. In 1993, he was second in the statistical race but would up third after the polls in a frustrated bid for the most coveted award.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SpUVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=3woEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5281%2C2085405|title=Patrimonio named MVP anew|work=Manila Standard}}</ref> With Vergel Meneses' first entire season with Swift in 1994, Asaytono could only make it to the mythical second-team selection but still performed well, averaging 18.6 points and 7.2 rebounds in 65 games. In 1995, his team came close to winning a [[Grand Slam (PBA)|Grand Slam]], winning two titles that season, but only got third place in the [[1995 PBA Governors' Cup|Governors' Cup]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Leongson |first=Randolph B. |date=May 9, 2020 |title=This 1995 Sunkist team that came close to a grand slam is quite something, too |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/we-almost-had-it-derrick-pumaren-says-of-sunkist-s-near-grand-slam-in-1995-a2437-20200509 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref>

After winning four championships with Swift/Sunkist, Asaytono was traded to the [[San Miguel Beermen]], his former team in the amateurs, in April 1996 for one-time MVP Renato Agustin.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Leongson |first=Randolph B. |date=November 10, 2021 |title=Arwind Santos just the latest SMB mainstay to be traded. See list |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/arwind-santos-other-major-pba-players-traded-by-san-miguel-a2437-20211110 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref>

===San Miguel Beermen===
Asaytono's trade to San Miguel proved to be the turning point of his career. He became the go-to guy in Coach [[Ron Jacobs (basketball)|Ron Jacobs]]'s rotation and its franchise player.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Terrado |first=Reuben |date=May 5, 2020 |title=To unleash the 'Bull,' Ron Jacobs had to set ego aside, says Jong |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/uichico-on-how-ron-jacobs-brought-out-best-in-nelson-asaytono-a795-20200505 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref> In 1997, he became one of the forerunners for the MVP award, but he again came short of former teammate Alvin Patrimonio.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Joble |first=Rey |date=August 17, 2021 |title=Yeng Guiao weighs in on repeated lack of recognition for Asaytono |url=https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/08/17/21/why-asaytono-remains-pbas-most-underappreciated-great |access-date=December 5, 2021 |website=news.abs-cbn.com}}</ref> Although he lost the MVP race, he led the league in scoring.

When the team drafted future MVP [[Danny Ildefonso]] in the 1998 season, his minutes were again reduced, but still, he led the team in scoring.<ref>{{Cite web |title=1998 Hardcourt The Official PBA Annual: San Miguel Beermen Player Profiles Page 138 |url=https://pbaannual1998.neocities.org/pba/season/1998/pbaannual/pbaannual1998138.html |access-date=December 5, 2022 |website=pbaannual1998.neocities.org}}</ref> He led the Beermen to the finals twice in All Filipino and Commissioner's Cup in that season but came up short on both occasions to the [[Alaska Aces (PBA)|Alaska Milkmen]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Gerry |date=February 20, 2022 |title=Jolas says 1998 Alaska campaign 'would've been a sure grand slam' |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/jolas-on-1998-alaska-campaign-that-would-have-been-a-sure-grand-slam-a793-20220220 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref>  A year later, when [[Jong Uichico]] took over the coaching reins from Jacobs, he was relegated to the bench and was eventually traded to his former team, the [[Pop Cola 800s]] (together with [[William Antonio]]) for Dwight Lago, Boybits Victoria, and [[Nic Belasco]].<ref name=":2" />

===Pop Cola, Red Bull, career milestones, and retirement===
Asaytono's second stint Pop Cola was a forgettable one, as he started to slow down as he was still at the bench. He spent his last four seasons with the [[Barako Bull Energy Boosters|Red Bull Barako]] until the 2005-06 season.

On April 7, 2005, he passed Crispa great [[Philip Cezar]] for the fifth spot on the all-time scoring list after tallying 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Villar |first1=Joey |last2=Beltran |first2=Nelson |date=April 7, 2005 |title=Barakos put cuffs on Chargers |url=https://www.philstar.com/sports/2005/04/07/272959/barakos-put-cuffs-chargers |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref> Currently, he is fifth in the PBA all-time scoring list with 12,268 total points in 796 career games, behind only [[Ramon Fernandez]], [[Abet Guidaben]], [[Alvin Patrimonio]], and [[Atoy Co]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Badua|first1=Snow|title=Nelson Asaytono fumes over non-inclusion in PBA '40 Greatest Players' list: 'That's a lot of bull'|url=http://www.spin.ph/basketball/news/nelson-asaytono-fumes-over-non-inclusion-snub-in-pba-40-greatest-players-list-marlou-aquino-seigle|website=www.spin.ph|publisher=SPIN.ph|access-date=21 December 2014}}</ref>

Before retiring, he had a brief stint with the Pagadian Warriors of the [[National Basketball Conference]] (NBC).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Labrador |first=Roel L. |date=December 15, 2006 |title=Tribu Sugbu gipalayas sa Pagadian |url=https://www.philstar.com/palaro/2006/12/15/375207/tribu-sugbu-gipalayas-sa-pagadian |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref> He retired in 2006.<ref name=":1" />

On April 2, 2025, the PBA announced that Asaytono and 9 other players were included to the PBA 50 Greatest Players and will be formally enshrined on April 11, in time with the league's 50th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ramos|first1=Gerry|date=2 April 2025|title=Asaytono, King, Tuadles part of PBA 50 Greatest Players at last|url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/asaytono-king-tuadles-named-to-pba-greatest-players-list-a793-20250402?ref=home_feed_12|website=www.spin.ph|publisher=SPIN.ph|access-date=5 April 2025}}</ref>

==Statistics==
{{PBA player statistics legend}}
''Correct as of the 2005-06 season''<ref name=":0" />

===Season-by-season averages===
{{PBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | [[1989 PBA season|1989]]
| align="left" | [[1989 Purefoods Hotdogs season|Purefoods]]
| 56  || 19.7 || 0.526 || 0.222 || 0.832 || 4.6 || 0.5 || 0.2 || 0.4 || 11.7
|-
| align="left" | [[1990 PBA season|1990]]
| align="left" | [[1990 Purefoods Hotdogs season|Purefoods]]
| 53 || 21.2 || 0.554 || 0.250 || 0.802 || 4.4 || 0.9 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 14.1
|-
| align="left" | [[1991 PBA season|1991]]
| align="left" | [[1991 Purefoods Hotdogs season|Purefoods]]
| 54 || 22.8 || 0.554 || 0.143 || '''0.842''' || 5.0 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 0.6 || 15.6
|-
| align="left" | [[1992 PBA season|1992]]
| align="left" | [[1992 Swift Mighty Meaties season|Swift]]
| '''69''' || 35.8 || 0.560 || '''0.515''' || 0.825 || '''8.2''' || 2.1 || '''0.6''' || '''1.2''' || 22.4
|-
| align="left" | [[1993 PBA season|1993]]
| align="left" | [[1993 Swift Mighty Meaties season|Swift]]
| 68 || 35.9 || 0.569 || 0.276 || 0.792 || 7.7 || '''2.8''' || '''0.6''' || 0.8 || 19.3
|-
| align="left" | [[1994 PBA season|1994]]
| align="left" | [[1994 Swift Mighty Meaties season|Swift]]
| 65 || 33.1 || 0.553 || 0.266 || 0.751 || 7.2 || 2.2 || 0.3 || 0.9 || 18.6
|-
| align="left" | [[1995 PBA season|1995]]
| align="left" | [[1995 Sunkist Orange Juicers season|Sunkist]]
| 68 || 26.3 || '''0.574''' || 0.222 || 0.801 || 4.5 || 2.0 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 14.0
|-
| align="left" | [[1996 PBA season|1996]]
| align="left" | [[1996 Sunkist Orange Bottlers season|Sunkist]]/[[1996 San Miguel Beermen season|San Miguel]]
| 51 || 32.6 || 0.497 || 0.346 || 0.779 || 6.3 || 2.0 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 15.9
|-
| align="left" | [[1997 PBA season|1997]]
| align="left" | [[1997 San Miguel Beermen season|San Miguel]]
| 61 || '''40.7''' || 0.431 || 0.290 || 0.813 || 7.1 || 2.7 || 0.5 || 0.6 || '''23.1'''
|-
| align="left" | [[1998 PBA season|1998]]
| align="left" | [[1998 San Miguel Beermen season|San Miguel]]
| 65 || 32.0 || 0.438 || 0.278 || 0.728 || 5.7 || 2.1 || 0.3 || 0.3 || 14.6
|-
| align="left" | [[1999 PBA season|1999]]
| align="left" | [[1999 San Miguel Beermen season|San Miguel]]/[[1999 Pop Cola 800s season|Pop Cola]]
| 23 || 29.2 || 0.421 || 0.171 || 0.778 || 4.3 || 1.0 || '''0.6''' || 0.2 || 11.8
|-
| align="left" | [[2000 PBA season|2000]]
| align="left" | [[2000 Pop Cola 800s season|Pop Cola]]
| 23 || 32.7 || 0.447 || 0.323 || 0.764 || 6.3 || 2.2 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 17.0
|-
| align="left" | [[2001 PBA season|2001]]
| align="left" | [[2001 Pop Cola Panthers season|Pop Cola]]
| 49 || 20.1 || 0.400 || 0.242 || 0.829 || 3.1 || 1.0 || 0.2 || 0.2 || 8.4
|-
| align="left" | [[2002 PBA season|2002]]
| align="left" | [[2002 Batang Red Bull Thunder season|Red Bull]]
| 22 || 9.4 || 0.489 || 0.308 || 0.600 || 1.5 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 3.2
|-
| align="left" | [[2003 PBA season|2003]]
| align="left" | [[2003 Batang Red Bull Thunder season|Red Bull]]
| 38 || 14.0 || 0.511 || 0.419 || 0.671 || 3.2 || 0.7 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 7.5
|-
| align="left" | [[2004–05 PBA season|2004–05]]
| align="left" | [[2004–05 Red Bull Barako season|Red Bull]]
| 53 || 16.5 || 0.458 || 0.238 || 0.810 || 3.0 || 0.6 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 7.6
|-
| align="left" | [[2005–06 PBA season|2005–06]]
| align="left" | [[2005–06 Red Bull Barako season|Red Bull]]
| 2 || 8.5 || 0.143 || 0.500 || 0.500 || 1.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 820 || 27.5 || 0.512 || 0.284 || 0.794 || 5.5 || 1.6 || 0.3 || 0.5 || 15.0
{{s-end}}

== Personal life ==
Asaytono has a daughter, Kim Arielle.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Melican |first=Nathaniel R. |date=May 21, 2015 |title=Daughter of ex-PBA star Asaytono charged for man's death, injuries to 12 others in crash |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/692696/daughter-of-ex-pba-star-asaytono-charged-for-mans-death-injuries-to-12-others-in-crash |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=INQUIRER.net |language=en}}</ref> 

Asaytono continued to play in exhibition games after he retired. In 2012, he participated in an exhibition match with fellow PBA legends against older NBA All-Stars.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cadayona |first=Russell |date=July 20, 2012 |title=Williams umagaw ng eksena sa USA All-Stars vs PBA Legends |url=https://www.philstar.com/palaro/2012/07/20/829613/williams-umagaw-ng-eksena-sa-usa-all-stars-vs-pba-legends |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Philstar.com}}</ref> He also became a building contractor, building basketball courts and gyms.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Gerry |date=February 4, 2019 |title=Nelson 'The Bull' Asaytono refuses to dwell on 40 Greatest Players snub |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/nelson-the-bull-asaytono-refuses-to-dwell-on-40-greatest-players-snub-a793-20190204 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref>

In 2020, Asaytono suffered a heart attack.<ref name=":1" /> He was confined in the ICU of a hospital in [[General Trias, Cavite]], for four days and was discharged several days later.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ramos |first=Gerry |date=April 12, 2020 |title=Fellow legends come to the aid of Nelson Asaytono after heart attack |url=https://www.spin.ph/basketball/pba/pba-legends-come-to-aid-of-ailing-great-nelson-asaytono-a793-20200412 |access-date=2022-12-05 |website=Spin.ph |language=en}}</ref> His former teammates, rivals, and even the PBA helped pay for his hospital expenses.{{cn|date=November 2024}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{navboxes|list=
{{Purefoods Hotdogs 1990 PBA Third Conference Champions}}
{{Purefoods Hotdogs 1991 PBA All-Filipino Conference Champions}}
{{Swift Mighty Meaties 1992 PBA Third Conference Champions}}
{{Swift Mighty Meaties 1993 PBA Commissioner's Cup Champions}}
{{Sunkist Orange Juicers 1995 PBA All-Filipino Cup Champions}}
{{Sunkist Orange Juicers 1995 PBA Commissioner's Cup Champions}}
{{Batang Red Bull Thunder 2002 PBA Commissioner's Cup Champions}}
{{PBA BPCs}}
{{PBA50}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Asaytono, Nelson}}
[[Category:1967 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Barako Bull Energy Boosters players]]
[[Category:Basketball players from Oriental Mindoro]]
[[Category:Magnolia Hotshots players]]
[[Category:People from Oriental Mindoro]]
[[Category:Philippine Basketball Association All-Stars]]
[[Category:Philippines men's national basketball team players]]
[[Category:Filipino men's basketball players]]
[[Category:Pop Cola Panthers players]]
[[Category:Power forwards]]
[[Category:San Miguel Beermen players]]
[[Category:UM Hawks basketball players]]
[[Category:Magnolia Hotshots draft picks]]