JUSTINE Baltazar loomed as the likely top pick overall in this year’s PBA Draft, until Fil-Am guard Sedrick Barefield came into the picture.
The 6-foot-2 Barefield has joined the annual proceedings set for July 14 at the Glorietta Mall in Makati, giving the event some sort of unpredictability.
Barefield, 27, spent a year with Southern Methodist University before playing the last three for University of Utah in the United States NCAA Division I.
In his swan song with the Runnin’ Utes, Barefield averaged 16.8 points and 3.8 assists.
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft, he saw action for the OKC Blue and plied his trade overseas.
Barefield’s overseas stints included stops at Lithuania with Nevėžis KÄ—dainiai, then to Greece for Apollon Patras.
Barefield also saw action in Asia, suiting up for OKC Blue anew, signing with P.League+ clubs Taipei Fubon and Tainan TSG.
He also played for Bay Area in the EASL Champions’ Week and Strong Group during the 2023 Dubai International Basketball Championship.
All rookie applicants will undergo the two-day Draft Combine set July 10 to 11 at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
The first day of the Combine will have the prospective draftees being screened according to their physical, athletic, and mental fitness.
The second day is devoted to an entire day of pitting all hopefuls spread out to different teams and playing against each other in a number of games.
Following the Combine, the list will be pruned down to its final number in time for Draft Day.
Converge owns the No. 1 overall pick followed by Blackwater, Terrafirma, Phoenix, and Northport.
Drafting sixth is NLEX, then Rain or Shine with the next two selections, Magnolia, Ginebra, Meralco, and finally San Miguel.
