PBA DRAFT: JV Casio likely top pick

MANILA—A talent-rich Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft that suits rebuilding Powerade well takes place Sunday with the Tigers expected to tab ace point guard JV Casio first overall and a big man in fourth spot.

The proceedings will start at 4 p.m. at the Robinsons Place in Ermita, with the Tigers also expected to pick a big man as the No. 4 choice to come up with a solid core for the 37th Season starting October.

Rain Or Shine, a squad which seems to be just one more formidable player short of being a legitimate title threat, picks second and could go for either Marcio Lassiter or Chris Lutz or for the darkhorse guard Paul Lee.

Barako Bull, which is making a return to the league under the Bert Lina Group of Companies, owns the third overall choice before Powerade makes its second selection from among many talents that will be left in the pool at that point.

Former Smart Gilas mainstays Dylan Ababou, Mac Baracael, Jason Ballesteros, Mark Barroca and the sleeper of the proceedings, Julius Pasculado, could all still be available for the Tigers at No. 4.

Shopinas, formerly Air21, picks fifth, with Alaska, Talk ‘N Text, Petron Blaze, Barangay Ginebra and Barako Bull rounding out the order in the first round.

To be known as the Clickers, Shopinas picks first in the second round, the Tropang Texters second before Alaska makes the next three selections as the Aces try to grab every talent left available to make for another formidable roster.

Alaska actually has four selections in the second round with the Aces also owning the 17th overall pick.

Powerade coach Bo Perasol had said in an interview two weeks ago that they were wishing that Casio wouldn’t change his mind in joining the pool.

And now that the 5-foot-9 shooting guard has not, all things point to the former La Salle star becoming the first point guard to be selected first overall since Mike Cortez with Alaska in 2003.

In 25 years of the Draft, only three point guards have been selected as No. 1, with Paolo Mendoza pulling off the trick first with defunct Sta. Lucia Realty in 2000.

Willie Miller, who would go on to win two Most Valuable Player trophies, was the first choice by Red Bull in 2001 but was not eligible for the Rookie of the Year award after having already played in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association.

Unlike in the previous years when teams were only given two rounds to pick, the proceedings will go on until all 10 teams pass, giving most of those in the 34-man pool a lot of chances to be able to land jobs in the pros.