The PBA D-League Rookie Draft is set Thursday with 143 players hoping to strut their wares in the fourth season starting Oct. 24 at Ynares Sports Arena.
Café France, which owns the No. 1 pick, is expected to select Filipino-Italian guard Chris Banchero in the 2 p.m. proceedings at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.
Banchero, who starred in San Miguel Beer’s title romp in the Asean Basketball League recently, leads 27 foreigners with Filipino roots who signed up for the draft.
Second-generation players Jerrold Nielsen Asaytono, son of former PBA star Nelson Asaytono, and Joma Adornado, son of three-time PBA MVP Bogs Adornado, also submitted their names along with players from various collegiate leagues.
Cebuana Lhuillier will choose second, followed by Boracay Rum, Big Chill, Blackwater Sports, NLEX, Cagayan Valley, Hog’s Breath and Jumbo Plastic.
The PBA requires foreign players with Filipino roots aged 25 and below to play at least two conferences in its developmental tournament.