Venancio Johnson Paras Jr. (born October 2, 1968), better known as Benjie Paras, is a Filipino actor, comedian, and retired professional basketball player who played for the Shell Turbo Chargers and San Miguel Beermen of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Known as "The Tower of Power" during his playing days, he is the only PBA player to win both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player honors, in a single season. As its star center, Paras led the Turbo Chargers to four championship titles. He is also a five time First Mythical Team member, three-time Second Mythical Team member, a nine-time All-Star and two-time All-Star MVP, and also won a Best Player of the Conference award.
Early life and high school career Paras grew up playing basketball in barangay leagues in Santol, Sta. Mesa. He first learned basketball from Nic Jorge at the BEST Center when he was 11 years old. At 13 years old, he was 6'2". San Beda coaches including Ato Badolato discovered him when they held a basketball camp in his barangay, which led to an invite to try out for the San Beda Red Cubs. Among those who were invited to try out, he was the only one who made the team.
Paras played together with Ronnie Magsanoc and Eric Altamirano. They helped lead the school to an NCAA juniors title in 1982. Magsanoc and Paras also won a gold medal together that year in track and field. In 1983, he led San Beda to a Metro Manila Basketball League (MMBL) championship. He was the MVP of that league in his last two years of high school.
Out of high school, Paras was heavily recruited. He chose to play for the UP Fighting Maroons in the UAAP, as Magsanoc, Altamirano, the alumni, and the coaching staff made a concerted effort to recruit him. He also chose to play in the UAAP as San Beda had left the NCAA and was only playing in the MMBL and in inter-secondary school competitions.
Collegiate career In his freshman year of 1986, he played with Magsanoc, Altamirano, fellow freshman Joey Guanio, and future UP champion head coach Goldwin Monteverde under the guidance of Joe Lipa. That season, the Fighting Maroons won the championship, beating the UE Red Warriors in the finals. They also won the National Inter-collegiate championship that year. As well as playing for UP, he also played for the Philippine national team and for his commercial team Philips Sardines in the Philippine Amateur Basketball League, in which he won MVP. He played three years for UP, then turned pro after his junior year in 1989 at the age of 20. Although coaches advised him to stay for one or two more years, Paras believed that he was ready, promising them that he would become the first Rookie of the Year to win MVP. With UP, he majored in BS Tourism.
Professional career Shell Turbo Chargers (1989–2002)
Rookie MVP season (1989) Drafted by the Shell Turbo Chargers in 1989 with the first overall pick, Paras began his PBA career. Being drafted by Shell reunited him with Magsanoc once again. Together with import Bobby Parks, they led Shell to the finals of the 1989 Open Conference, where they lost to the eventual Grand Slam champions San Miguel Beermen. He then made his first appearance at the All-Star Game that season, although his team lost as Mon Fernandez scored the game-winner over him. Although Shell did not win any titles that season, his abilities were on full display as he averaged 25.8 points in 57 games, the most by a PBA rookie. He also scored 50 points twice that season, a point off the all-time mark of 51 for most points scored by a rookie, and a record held by Dennis Abbatuan since 1984. He also averaged 13 boards, and 2.6 blocks. Because of these he not only took Rookie of the Year, but also became its Most Valuable Player. As of 2026, he is the only PBA player to have accomplished this feat.
First title (1990–1991) In 1990, Paras would lead Shell to their first PBA title during the First Conference by defeating Anejo Rhum in a championship series that finished in six games, in a climax that featured a walkout by Anejo players. He also made the All-Star team that season. In 1991, Shell and Anejo (now known as Ginebra) would meet again in the finals of the Reinforced Conference. The Turbo Chargers seemed poised to beat the Gins once again after taking a commanding 3–1 lead, but the Gins made a dramatic rally, coming back from the 3–1 deficit and winning the title in a classic Game 7 encounter that featured Rudy Distrito's game winner.
Requesting a trade (1992–1993) In 1992, Paras and the rejuvenated Turbo Chargers, now with Leo Isaac and Rey Cuenco, led Shell to another title, winning the 1992 First Conference over the Beermen. After the 1992 title, Paras and Shell would show inconsistencies as it flirted to the cellars in several occasions. This was also capped with a controversy back in 1993 when Paras sat out for one conference after a contract dispute with Shell that prompted him to demand a trade deal to rival team Ginebra. During this time, he lived with Robert Jaworski, and relied on him for his allowance. But after Shell rejected trade offers for their prized center, he decided to concentrate on his movie and TV career for six months.
Return to the team and resurgence (1993–1997) Paras came back to the team in the 1993 Commissioner's Cup, but the team did not made it back to the finals for a long time. They did make the semifinals in the 1994 Governors' Cup, and in the 1995 Governors' Cup, in which they denied the Sunkist Orange Juicers a grand slam. In the 1996 Commissioner's Cup, they made it back to the finals thanks in part to import Kenny Redfield and supporting casts such as Peter Naron, Richie Ticzon, Victor Pablo, and Jojo Lim. They battled the grand slam seeking Alaska Aces, then known as the Alaska Milkmen, in a seven-game series which Alaska won. Paras was also a contender to win the MVP in the 1996 season of the PBA.
Paras missed most of the 1997 Commissioner's Cup due to surgery on his knee. He would re-enter the finals two years later in the 1998 Centennial Cup Finals, this time meeting the Mobiline Phone Pals. In a one-game title showdown, Shell came up short. Paras would get his revenge thanks to the help of Noy Castillo and Gerry Esplana as the rematch was set for the Governor's Cup finals of the PBA against Mobiline. Shell came back after trailing the series 3–2. Shell and Mobiline battled into a grueling seven games until Shell prevailed due to timely baskets by Paras and Esplana.
Second MVP (1999) In 1999, in a season which saw the influx of Filipino-American talent, some of whom were only faking to be Filipino-American, Paras dominated the league once again. He led Shell past San Miguel in the quarterfinals and Ginebra in the semis to another finals appearance in the All-Filipino Cup, this time against the Tanduay Rhum Makers. They were bannered by Fil-Am Eric Menk, who had just won Best Player of the Conference over him, and Sonny Alvarado, who would eventually be deported. He held his own against the two taller, stronger and more athletic Fil-Ams as he led Shell to another title, winning it 4–2. That would be Paras' last title, as his team was unable to stop the Beermen in the title showdown for the Commissioner's Cup. He also won the All-Star Game MVP that season, leading the Veteran All-Stars over the Rookies and Sophomores team. During the Governors' Cup, on November 10, he reached the 10,000 point milestone. At 31 years old, Paras would win his second MVP since 1989. He also won the Comeback Player of the Year award that season.
Injury-ridden seasons (2000–2003) During the 2000s, Paras played in only 44 games due to injuries. In 2001, he re-signed with the team for a max deal of P25 million for two years. However, he was only able to play in eight games during the 2002 season. Due to his injuries, in 2003, days before the season started, he decided to retire, serving the remainder of his contract on Shell's coaching staff. Shell retired his #14 jersey.
San Miguel Beermen (2002–2003) However, Paras returned in May 2003, suiting up for the San Miguel Beermen for two months and making his return during the quarterfinals of the 2003 All-Filipino Cup. During this time, he wore #14, a number that had previously been retired for Hector Calma. He retired once again at the end of the season to focus on raising his family as well as pursue acting full-time. Paras accumulated 10,322 career points throughout his 574 games. He is also third all-time in career blocks with 1,333.
National team career Alongside Magsanoc, Paras were also included in the Philippine national team that won the 1986 Guam Invitational and the 1987 SEA Games. In the 1986 ABC Under-18 Championship, he averaged 16.8 points and led the Philippines to the finals, where they lost to China led by Ma Jian.
Paras was also selected to play in the 1990 Asian Games Basketball Team as part of the first international event that was participated in by PBA players. That team won the silver medal, as the team came up short against China in the gold-medal match.
Player profile Paras is known for his ball-handling, rebounding, deft mid-range shooting, well-timed shot blocking, and the uncanny ability for inside scoring. With his skillset, he could block a shot in mid-air, grab the rebound, dribble the ball up the court, and finish with a dunk. At 6'4", he was one of the tallest PBA players at the time. His intensity on the court gave him the nickname "Tower of Power". Later in his career, he added mid-range shooting and a dribble-by drive to his scoring arsenal to compete with bigger players. According to basketball historian Jay P. Mercado: "At a time when we were used to the finesse of Fernandez, Guidaben, and Manny Victorino who played with flair and guile, Paras practically revolutionized the center position with his power and grace."
Post-retirement career
Acting During his basketball career, Paras made appearances in movies and television shows. His first film appearance was in the 1989 film Last Two Minutes, where he played a priest. He and other PBA players also made appearances in the FPJ film May Isang Tsuper ng Taxi. He starred in the 1993 film Dunkin Donato. In 1994, he starred in the sitcom Billy Bilyonaryo as a butler, and in Greggy en' Boogie: Sakyan mo na lang, Anna alongside Babalu. In 2003, while he was playing for the Beermen, he made appearances on the sitcom Kool Ka Lang.
Paras retired in 2003, ending his 14-year career with the PBA and became an actor full-time. Although he had never taken acting classes, he discovered that he had a talent in comedy. Over time, Paras became a versatile supporting actor who appeared on afternoon and primetime teleseryes. He appeared in Narito Ang Puso Ko, his first drama series on GMA Network. He also appeared in Lagot Ka, Isusumbong Kita, a weekly sitcom by GMA. In 2005, he starred in Encantadia as the barbarian "Wahid", with PBA players Alex Crisano and Chris Tan joining him in the supporting cast. His son Andre would reprise the role of Wahid in 2016. Later that year, he appeared in his first Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) film, Exodus: Tales from the Enchanted Kingdom, as Tayho, the Earth elemental. He also flexed his acting muscles by playing offbeat roles in Lupin (as Richard Gutierrez's gay inmate) and Fantastic Man (as one of Mark Herras' villains).