As deadline expires, PBA Draft pool suddenly ‘interesting’
PBA

As deadline expires, PBA Draft pool suddenly ‘interesting’

PBA Rookie Draft Aldin Ayo

Converge coach Aldin Ayo during a PBA game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Converge coach Aldin Ayo admitted that the late addition of talented prospects have made the process of selecting the top overall pick in the PBA Rookie Draft even tougher.

“The Draft has become interesting. It now has a deep pool,” Ayo told the Inquirer in Filipino as the deadline for applicants to submit their papers for the July 14 proceedings lapsed Thursday afternoon.

Article continues after this advertisement

The PBA is set to release the full list of applicants on Friday, but interesting names cropped up before the league office closed at 5 p.m., with Filipino-American Sedrick Barefield and RJ Abarrientos announcing their entries.

FEATURED STORIES

READ: Converge has franchise find as Justine Baltazar enters PBA Draft

That should require some soul-searching for Ayo and the FiberXers to pick the right man more than a week from now at Glorietta in Makati City, especially with names such as Justine Baltazar, Dave Ildefonso and Fil-Am Caelan Tiongson also part of the class.

Article continues after this advertisement

Many see Baltazar as a sure first pick, given his talents and connections with the Converge franchise. But the entry of Barefield and Abarrientos could change that.

Article continues after this advertisement

“They’ve been on our radar, but we will discuss with management on what our approach will be for the Draft,” Ayo added in Filipino.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Dave Ildefonso to declare for PBA Draft with his dad, bro in mind

The teams that will pick after Converge will then have a bevy of options, from Blackwater choosing second followed by Terrafirma, Phoenix and NorthPort, NLEX and Rain or Shine, which has the seventh overall acquired from the Bossing for the Rey Nambatac trade last February, and the eighth pick.

Article continues after this advertisement

Highly touted prospect

Rounding out the first round are Magnolia, Barangay Ginebra, Philippine Cup champion Meralco and Commissioner’s Cup winner San Miguel Beer. The order was based on the teams’ positions during the two-conference Season 48, with 40 percent coming from the Commissioner’s Cup and 60 percent from the Philippine Cup.

Considered as a highly touted prospect, Barefield is taking his act to the PBA after coming off a campaign with the Taipei Fubon Braves, who competed in Taiwan’s domestic P.League+ and the East Asia Super League.

Barefield applied for the draft in 2022 and was projected to be among the top three picks, but encountered delays processing his Philippine passport.

Abarrientos, meanwhile, is set to follow the footsteps of his uncle, 1996 PBA MVP Johnny, after spending two seasons playing professionally in South Korea for the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus of the Korean Basketball League.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our daily newsletter

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

He later on moved to Japan for the B.League’s Shinshu Brave Warriors, who later released Abarrientos after the end of the 2023-24 season.

TAGS: aldin ayo, Converge, PBA

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.
Your subscription has been successful.

Subscribe to our newsletter!

By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy.

© Copyright 1997-2024 INQUIRER.net | All Rights Reserved

This is an information message

We use cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more here.