A BUMPER crop of hopefuls made up the list of applicants in this year’s PBA draft set this Sunday at the Market! Market! in Taguig.
But will the draft lose luster with the exclusion of top prospect Justine Baltazar?
The 6-foot-8 Baltazar was not included in the record 128 players seeking to have their names called in the annual proceedings.
Among those who turned in their applications in the final week and beat last Sunday’s deadline were Ricci Rivero, Schonny Winston, Zavier Lucero, Brent Paraiso, Keith Datu, Brandon Bates, Luis Villegas, Ken Tuflin, Stephen Holt, Kim Aurin, Raphael Cu, Fran Yu, Henry Galinato, Dominick Fajardo, Kemark Carino, Sherwin Concepcion, and James Kwekuteye.
The number of applicants is a new pro league record, surpassing the previous mark of the 97 during the 46th season draft.
The list includes 31 Fil-foreign applicants, also an all-time high.
Chances of the final list being pruned down is likely depending on the outcome of the two-day Draft Combine beginning today and tomorrow at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
Terrafirma owns the first pick overall followed by Blackwater.
Rain or Shine has the next two selections, followed by NorthPort, Phoenix, NLEX, and Meralco.
Converge picks consecutively at Nos. 9 and 10, followed by NorthPort and Terrafirma.
Meanwhile, the PBA has moved its 48th season opening from Oct. 15 to Nov. 5 to give way to Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
Executives of Asia’s first play-for-pay league made the decision to give players who will be included in the national team for the Asian Games enough time to rest and recover.
