COLUMN: CAN'T-MISS PROSPECTS IN PBA ROOKIE DRAFT POOL

By RICKIE SANTOS

IN a couple of weeks, talented, young and promising hoopers hope to start their PBA journey as the league holds its annual Rookie Draft.

As of this writing, the PBA has yet to release a list of draft applicants, which the league regularly did in the past. An insider said no list was released so far because there were still problems with applicants who are playing in the MPBL.

Reports said that there are only a few draft applications submitted. Well, maybe. But that shouldn’t be too worrisome for the PBA bosses. Traditionally, the big names apply in the final week, or even in the final hour.

READ Jonel Policarpio joins La Salle teammates in PBA Draft

Anyway, some player agents have said their clients have submitted their applications, or will be soon. Other players themselves announced that they were PBA-bound and that they were just completing their documents.

Let’s look at the players who have applied and who have committed to the Rookie Draft and what they can bring to their future PBA home.

Among the draft commit guards, Evan Nelle should be highest on the list of teams in the hunt of playmaker par excellence. UAAP reigning champion De La Salle moved like a well-oiled machine when Nelle was directing the Green Archers’ offense. He is smart, pro ripe and will contribute from Day One. No question, Nelle is first-round talent.

The only homegrown point guard who may overshadow Nelle is Jerom Lastimosa. The best shooter among the point guards, Lastimosa can definitely deliver when needed. If and when his ACL injury is completely healed, the former King Falcon will give veteran guards fits.

Coaches who would like to test point guards in the rookie grab bag and pick from talents like Mark Nonoy, Francis Escandor, DJ Mitchell, LJ Gonzales and Calvin Payawal who displayed their skills in the UAAP and MPBL. Unknown Fil-Viet Michael Soy averaged 16.8 points per game in the Vietnam Basketball Association and may prick the teams’ curiosity.

Looking for eagle-eyed shooters to man their wings, teams will certainly have CJ Cansino high on their shopping list. Cansino was UAAP Juniors MVP. In college, he delivered the goods for both University of Santo Tomas and the University of the Philippines. Now playing in his first MPBL season, streak-shooting Cansino ranks 5th in scoring in the league with 17.0 ppg. A legit scorer but what makes coaches and scouts think twice in picking Cansino up in the first round is his history of injuries, having torn his ACL twice.

PHOTO: MPBL

Most of the teams will be on the lookout for good big men and rookie frontliners should take a lot of high picks.

Since Justine Baltazar has submitted his draft application, Converge will most definitely make the reigning MPBL MVP and former King  Archer the first overall pick.

Baltazar is in a class of his own in the MPBL and it has been a long time coming for him to pit talents against the PBA’s big boys. At Converge, it is certain that Balti will have an immediate impact.

If he commits to be part of the draft, 6-10 Kamaka Hepa will be welcome in any team roster. Playing in the Latvian Estonian basketball league last season, Hepa averaged 10.9 points and 5.4 rebounds an outing.

Open Lane

Also standing at 6-10 is CJ Lane but his 2.3 ppg and 3.5 rpg averages while shooting a paltry 36% from the floor and 51% from the stripe are far from impressive. Lane’s speed and mobility are question marks.

If 6-11 Quentin Millora-Brown and 6-10 Geo Chiu join the draft, both will be picked early in the big board. But QMB, who normed 11.2 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 1.5 bpg in his final year at Citadel, opted to go one and done in the UAAP with the UP Fighting Maroons. Chiu, for his part, signed with the Ehime Orange Vikings in B2 league in Japan.

PHOTO: PBA Images

But no worries, there will be takers for Caelan Tiongson, Jonel Policarpio and Will Gozum. Kai Ballungay will be picked early once he throws his hat in the Draft.

The league office should be busy accepting the applications as the draft deadline approaches.

Tick tock.

2024-07-04T06:10:11Z dg43tfdfdgfd