Prospective top pick is also tallest among rookies

Prospective top overall pick June Mar Fajardo was measured to be the tallest among all aspirants in the coming PBA Rookie Draft at 6 feet, 10 inches with a wingspan of 85 inches.

The talented slotman from Cebu will be the first overall choice by Petron Blaze in the draft slated at the Midlands of Robinson’s Manila on Sunday.

But the next four picks are anyone’s guesses and this could provide an interesting sidelight to the Draft where team representatives hope to pick up to the second round for future stars.

Chris Ellis, a 6-foot-4 Filipino-American, had the highest vertical leap taken during the biometrics session for all aspirants yesterday.

Ellis’ reached 11 feet and 3 inches on his first leap and jumped an inch higher on his second try.

Charles Keith Jensen, another Filipino-American expected to be picked high in the order, had an 11-4 second leap.

Calvin Abueva, the San Sebastian stalwart in the NCAA seriously being looked into by Alaska as the second overall choice, was measured to be just a shade over 6-foot-1 even as unknown Robby Zablan was measured to be the shortest at 5-6.

Eman Monfort, who won titles with Ateneo in the UAAP, is 1/16th  of an inch taller than Zablan and was the only one in the session who completed 100 pushups.

Petron also owns the third overall choice and the Boosters may exercise it on either Abueva or Cliff Hodge, a hardworking Filipino-American who already represented the country in the Southeast Asian Games last year in Indonesia.

Ellis is also another prospect being mentioned as a likely high pick, together with former Ateneo ace Chris Tiu.