Draft premiums

The PBA has set a Pre-Draft Camp for prospective rookies on Jan. 10 at the SM Megamall, a first in the league’s history. The fact is that this camp was first set for mid-December, but only a handful of new players attended.

As a casual fan, what would one look for, the obvious and not so obvious resources that a player can offer? Bear in mind that this is a one-shot affair, and that a player may have an extremely good game, or a rather bad one, sometimes depending on what side of bed he got out of.

Let’s go over a brief checklist which may cement or change the decision of coaches who feel the pressure to win after a turbulent 2002 season.

Size. Mistakenly the premium among many coaches and team owners. Look at the last All-Filipino Cup Finals. The Coca-Cola Tigers and Alaska Aces are not particularly tall teams, but they slugged it out in the most glamorous championship of the season. However, if you’re choosing a player for a particular position, size would impact on your decision. Would you select a 6-3 power forward or a 6-5 power forward? Obviously, height adds the advantage of playing another position and posting up smaller defenders.

Attitude. The most revealing of all. The pre-draft camp will not be an ideal scenario. Which players will balk at having to play in more spartan conditions? Who will show how much they love the simple joy of playing? Who will step forward and lead his team, no matter the composition? Let’s remember that very prestigious, high-paying jobs are at stake. In a public setting, nothing can be hidden. As they say, the camera never blinks.

Authenticity. A growing requirement from the days of Marlou Aquino to Kerby Raymundo. For pure-bred locals, have they submitted all the necessary requirements, told the truth about their age, and finished all the academic requirements attendant to entering the draft? For Fil-Ams, do they have the proof of their Filipino lineage, and clearance and Filipino ID cards from the Department of Justice? If not, how soon can they get these?

Training. What system did the player come from? Would you rather pick a veteran from a pro system like the MBA, or someone from a collegiate contender? A starter for an NCAA Division I team is treated almost as a godsend, since he will have come from a winning system, have all the polish, and, most importantly, will hopefully be used to following instructions.

Skill. How will you fare in the land of the giants? There are a few high-caliber requirements for rookies which coaches may not have the time or patience to teach anymore. Perimeter shooting has become a staple of any player’s repertoire. Like golf, you need a middle game to complement your outside shooting and penetration. Many players are belatedly developing this ability. The fundamentals like boxing out, forcing the opponent to his weak side, and taking open shots will be key for a rook to make a team.

Playing shape. With the season little over a month away, it helps the PBL players that they are seeing action right up until the draft. It would be difficult for a coach to seethe potential of someone who is overweight. Besides, being overweight is a sign that the player has not found a way to take care of himself, a sure negative in any coach’s book.

Injuries. Has the player ever hurt himself before? Where was the injury treated, and by whom? Has it recurred? A hand or arm injury is easier to overlook than one to the knee or back. Brittle bones make one a liability in this age of guaranteed contracts.

Adaptability. Look at players like Eddie Laure and Enrico Villanueva. They pose intriguing possibilities to coaches, depending on their willingness and capability to modify their games. Can they play more than one position? Would they be more comfortable playing a smaller player’s role in the PBA? Laure is considered the most polished player in the draft. Villanueva will most likely become a competent power forward, if he takes to it. Some players can’t. The greatest example would be Ato Agustin, who played forward for the RFM franchise in the amateurs, and was converted to off-guard by San Miguel Beer, until he had to take over the point with injuries to teammates Hector Calma and Franz Pumaren, and did so spectacularly.

Desire. Perhaps the turnkey trait for players whose size and ability are question marks. Many players may be too small for their positions, but can certainly make up for it by diving for loose balls, taking charges and generally being a nuisance to the opposition. But if a player has the combination of size, skill and desire, then he would be the ultimate prize.

With all this in mind, let’s take out our notebooks and scout the rookies in the pre-draft camp, and see if the teams’ picks match ours.