Surabaya – In a tribute to unshakable commitment and quiet leadership, Indonesian Basketball League (IBL) has awarded the 2025 Legacy Award to Bambang Susanto — better known in the national basketball community as Suk Fuk. A towering presence not only for Pacific Caesar Surabaya but for Indonesian basketball at large, Suk Fuk’s recognition is a symbol of legacy built not overnight, but over decades.
Established in 2020, the IBL Legacy Award celebrates individuals whose contributions have deeply shaped the sport. Past recipients include the legendary player Sony Hendrawan and, in 2024, the late PERBASI chairman Danny Kosasih. This year, the award returns with emotional weight and historical resonance.
Bambang Susanto’s story began as a player — wearing the Pacific jersey long before he became its steward. In the early 1990s, he led the club through key national tournaments, including a landmark third-place finish in the 1991 Kobatama after a dramatic battle against Pelita Jaya in Tasikmalaya. His transition from player to patron was seamless, marked by an unrelenting drive to preserve the club’s relevance and values.
Pacific Caesar was officially established in 1968, but under Bambang’s leadership, it transformed into a professional outfit in 2011. The path to professionalism was not paved with fanfare or capital but driven by resolve, endurance, and belief — values that would become synonymous with the club’s identity.
In 1997, Bambang inaugurated GOR Pacific Caesar Surabaya — a modest yet symbolic venue that has become more than a home court. It stands as a monument to his vision: that Indonesian basketball should have roots not only in capital cities but across the archipelago.
Through shifting economic tides, changing formats, and increased competition, Pacific Caesar has stood firm. In part, because of its green jersey; in greater part, because of the man who refused to let it fall.
Suk Fuk is not a man of the spotlight, but of substance. Rather than chase accolades, he built platforms for others to shine. Many of Indonesia’s top talents — Indra Muhammad, Widyanta Putra Teja, Nuke Saputra — have emerged from Pacific’s program. Today, rising stars like All-Star guard Daffa Dhoifullah continue that tradition, playing a modern, fast-paced game while grounded in the club’s core principles.
In IBL 2025, Pacific Caesar finished ninth — a step forward in a demanding season. Yet beyond rankings and records, what endures is a club culture that values growth, loyalty, and patience. Few professional teams in Southeast Asia can claim continuity through so many eras; fewer still owe it to one man’s lifelong devotion.
The IBL Legacy Award honors that devotion. It is a tribute to a figure who has sustained more than a club — he has sustained a movement. In an age where commercial metrics dominate sports narratives, Bambang Susanto’s legacy is a powerful reminder: not all impact is televised. Some is built — brick by brick, season by season, life by life.
From an ex-player with vision to a guardian of grassroots basketball, Suk Fuk’s story is Indonesia’s story: resilient, generous, and full of hope for what comes next.
