Compton looking for player who can match up with Fajardo, Slaughter
Alaska coach Alex Compton. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
Alaska coach Alex Compton knows that with his team picking fifth in the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft, he has no choice but to wait for the proceedings to pan out.
“This draft already has its top five players and I don’t think there’s a lot of surprises for us. I think there’s some good talent in the draft, so we’ll just have to wait,” he said.
Christian Standhardinger and Kiefer Ravena are the consensus 1-2 picks in the annual rookie selection, which leaves bluechip recruits Jeron Teng, Raymar Jose, and Jason Perkins for picks three to five, the last of those expectedly being the Aces’ man.
Compton knows that he can’t go wrong with any of those five as he maintains the mentality of picking the best talent available at their spot.
However, with Alaska desperate to get back to contending for titles, the American mentor said that getting a frontcourt player that can compete with the likes of June Mar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter should be of high priority for teams who want to win a championship.
“Most places where basketball is played, it’s the hardest to find a dominant big man. I heard there’s a pretty good one in the PBA who has won four straight MVPs,” said Compton, displaying his signature wit to the media once again. “Those guys don’t grow on trees. It would be nice if I could go to that tree and pick a June Mar, but that’s not what happens.
“The biggest position in need is someone to match up with June Mar and Greg. It’s really a challenge, like you look at Ginebra in the Finals right now, look at their length,” he said.
That’s why Compton is desperately wishing for a miracle that against all odds, the four teams ahead of Alaska will surprisingly shy away from tabbing Standhardinger in this draft which will let the Aces swoop the Fil-German forward in.
“If he drops to five, I’m hoping. If people are gonna pass up on him and he drops to five, yes, we will be open to taking him,” the affable bench tactician said.
