THE jury is still out on whether this season’s PBA rookie Draft is really “shallow.”
For pro league Commissioner Willie Marcial, how the initial 128 hopefuls will carve out their careers in the pros after getting tabbed—or undrafted—will be the ultimate truth-teller.
“Kung malalim o mababaw ang Draft, depende iyan sa magiging chemistry at ipapakita ng players sa sasalihan nilang teams,” Marcial told Malaya-Business Insight yesterday from Mongolia where he supported the Gilas Pilipinas Youth Under-16 team’s campaign in the FIBA U-16 Asia Cup. “Hindi mo masusukat kaagad, hindi ko rin masasabi. Hindi naman tayo namimili ng players na magpapa-Draft.
“In my own opinion, mahirap sabihin kaagad ang quality ng Draft,” he added.
The annual proceedings are set for Sept. 7 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay, with the Draft Combine slated this Thursday and Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Armchair pundits were quick to insinuate this year’s class is lacking star power—or even quality players—after the likes of Kobe Paras, Rhenz Abando, Fil-Am playmaker Remy Martin, big men Quentin Millora-Brown and CJ Lane, and collegiate standouts Clint Escamis and Mike Phillips opted not to make the jump to Asia’s pioneering pro league—for now.
Fil-foreign floor generals Juan Gómez de Liaño, Dalph Panopio and Jason Brickman, 6-foot-10 center Geo Chiu, former NCAA MVP Will Gozum, LJay Gonzales of Far Eastern University, Ateneo’s Chris Koon, Christian Manaytay of University of Santo Tomas, and College of St. Benilde’s Mark Sangco, among others, banner the list.
Also in the mix are former UAAP 3×3 MVP CJ Austria and La Salle teammate Joshua David, Letran’s Vincent Cuajao and Arthur Roque, Perpetual Help’s John Cedric Abis, Justine Guevarra of University of the East, the Blazers’ Jake Gaspay, and Neil Jay Tolentino of Arellano University.
Saved from disbandment, Terrafirma has the No. 1 overall pick under newly-appointed coach Ronald Tubid.
Phoenix, which also switched tactician from Jamike Jarin to Willy Wilson, owns the second choice and is training its sights on a big man or the best available talent—but a trade option the Fuel Masters cannot pass up should also be in consideration.
Lanky center Justin Baltazar was made the top selection by Converge last year.
With a little over a month left before the PBA’s golden season-opening Philippine Cup fires off on Oct. 5, the Draft—no matter how naysayers and unbelievers label it as lacking quality—will still surely inject new blood and new PBA stars.
“Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga nagpa-Draft,” were the short but sweet parting words of the amiable and hardworking PBA chief.
