All the top PBA draft picks that Terrafirma has let go

Joshua Munzon, CJ Perez, Roosevelt Adams and Christian Standhardinger–all players Terrafirma could’ve used to build its team into a contender in the PBA.

Joshua Munzon became the latest former No. 1 draft pick to be traded by Terrafirma after the PBA approved a deal that sent the sophomore cager to NorthPort for veteran swingman Kevin Ferrer on Thursday.

It’s a trend that has been going for more than half a decade when the Dyip franchise either traded their rights to pick first or ship them to other teams after at least one season at its disposal. There was one instance when a former top pick left on his own terms.

KIA GIVES AWAY ITS TOP PICK

Christian Standhardinger. during the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Terrafirma—then carrying the Kia brand—created controversy when it forego a chance to select Christian Standhardinger in 2017, dealing the No. 1 selection to San Miguel Beer in exchange for Ronald Tubid, Jay-R Reyes, Rashawn McCarthy and a future first round pick, a week before the draft took place.

Chito Narvasa, who was then the PBA commissioner, approved the deal, triggering an impasse that saw teams into blocs either for or against the decision.

STANDHARDINGER TRADE AFTERMATH

PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net

The PBA eventually resolved the matter before the 2017-18 season took place, with Narvasa resigning from his post and the league’s board of governors eventually tapping Willie Marcial as his successor. A trade committee composed of five league officials was also formed to oversee proposals sent to the PBA Commissioner’s Office.

Standhardinger would make his San Miguel debut in the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup and won two championships before being dealt to NorthPort in the 2019 Governors’ Cup, later claiming Best Player of the Conference honors. He is now with Barangay Ginebra following a trade for Greg Slaughter in March 2021.

Tubid eventually returned to San Miguel, and is now Terrafirma’s team manager. McCarthy spent four seasons before being shipped to his current team Blackwater. Jay-R Reyes played two seasons for the Dyip, and had a one-year stint with Phoenix before retiring in 2021.

The pick the Beermen let go was used by Terrafirma in 2019, choosing Christian Balagasay in the first round. Balagasay is still with the Dyip as a seldom-used backup center.

A FRANCHISE PLAYER LET GO

Cj Perez during the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

The Dyip created a chance to build for the future after taking CJ Perez at No. 1 in the 2018 draft. Perez starred at Lyceum in the NCAA and was seen as a player who can be a superstar in years to come.

Perez did show promise in his first two PBA seasons, winning Rookie of the Year and was named to the Mythical First Team in 2019 and topped the scoring list twice with averages of 20.8 in Season 44 and 24.4 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

Perez was sent to San Miguel in 2021 in exchange for Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Gelo Alolino, Russell Escoto and two first round draft picks in 2021 and 2022. The deal was approved by the league’s trade committee.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE DEAL?

CJ Perez leads San Miguel to  victory. –PBA IMAGES

CJ Perez has emerged as one of the key stars on the vaunted Beermen roster and captured his first PBA title when his vital performance in the fourth quarter defeated the TNT Tropang Giga in Game 7 of the Philippine Cup Finals.

Ganuelas-Rosser performed well for Terrafirma in the 2021 Philippine Cup and the early part of the 2021-22 Governors’ Cup, but opted to sign with TNT midway into the season-ending conference as one of the first players who became unrestricted free agents.

Alolino played one game in the 2021-22 season due to an injury before returning in this season’s Commissioner’s Cup while Escoto has since moved to Magnolia as a hardly-used reserve. Terrafirma picked former La Salle center James Laput at No. 8 in the 2021 draft, but was dealt to Magnolia during the Governors’ Cup later in the year. The other first round pick will be used in the next draft.

OPPORTUNITIES OVERSEAS

Roosevelt Adams during his stint with Terrafima Dyip in the PBA. –PBA IMAGES

Terrafirma also picked first in 2019, using it to take Roosevelt Adams, a versatile 6-foot-5 cager who provides presence in the paint while also knocking down perimeter shots. Adams played in the 2020 Philippine Cup, 2021 Philippine Cup and 2021-22 Governors’ Cup.

Adams became a restricted free agent during the Governors’ Cup, but opted not to sign a new deal. Rumors also swirled of a potential deal that will send Adams to one of the San Miguel Corporation teams before his contract expired.

Adams eventually found his way into Japan’s B.League for second division side Kagawa Five Arrows.

ANOTHER TOP PICK FOR TERRAFIRMA

Terrafirma rookie Joshua Munzon. PBA IMAGES

Joshua Munzon was picked No. 1 in 2021 after impressive stints for the Saigon Heat and Malaysia Dragons in the Asean Basketball League, AMA in the PBA D-League and the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3×3.

He played just six games in the 2021 Philippine Cup due to an injury with 11.7 points and was limited to three appearances in the 2021-22 Governors’ Cup, posting 19.0 points. His scoring numbers dipped in the ongoing season, averaging 12.8 when Terrafirma lost all 11 games in the Philippine Cup and 8.8 points in the Commissioner’s Cup when the Dyip won just once.

FINALLY TRADED AWAY

Terrafirma initially agreed to send Munzon and 2022 first rounder Javi Gomez de Liano to NorthPort for Kevin Ferrer, MJ Ayaay and two future second round selections. But the PBA eventually approved a revised swap that sent Munzon for Ferrer.