It’s a bumper crop of talents, possibly the best since the group of marquee Fil-Ams Asi Taulava, Eric Menk and Danny Seigle joined the league in 1999, assuring another influx of young players into the PBA.
No question, the demise of the MBA provided a sufficient supply of blue-chip aspirants to the pro league. That’s on the positive side but on the negative side, the market value of old PBA regulars seemed to have diminished with the big turnout of talented young players in the run-up to the PBA Draft Day.
"Isa singko ang players ngayon, Walang teams na gumagalaw, lahat naghihintay ng draft. Kung mayroon mang mag-offer sa (free agent) players, status quo o may bawas pa sa sweldo," noted renowned player-agent Danny Espiritu.
Espiritu said that out of the 31 players under his care who became free agents last Dec. 31, only three – EJ Feihl, Anton Villoria and Edmund Reyes – have been given new contracts.
Espiritu said no one among the three was given a raise in salary with Feihl getting P9.3 million in three years from Alaska, Reyes P1.2 million for this year from Red Bull and Villoria even less in the same period also from Red Bull.
Then there’s the dilemma confronting Rob Wainwright, Rodney Santos and Junthy Valenzuela.
According to Espiritu, Shell wants a 50-percent cut on Wainwright’s previous paycheck of P300,000 a month, Alaska is even thinking on trading Santos despite an impressive stint last year and Red Bull offering a pittance of an increase on Valenzuela’s pay despite a solid showing in his first three years in the league.
"Junthy is being offered a little increase. Pero lalabas na bababa pa ang kita niya dahil bumaba na at naging standard na ang bonus ng mga players ngayon because of the new guidelines on the salary cap rule," said Espiritu.
Espiritu is now offering the services of Valenzuela to other teams. Several teams have expressed intention to hire the Cebuano forward but said they will only make a contract offer after the draft.
FedEx team manager Lito Alvarez has said they’re releasing Zaldy Realubit, Biboy Simon and David Friedhoff and will focus on the free agent market instead of the draft to boost its stock in the coming 2003 season.
Alvarez bared they are keen on getting the services of Don Camaso, Roger Yap and Bryan Gahol.
Purefoods team manager Rene Pardo, meanwhile, said they’re now working on possible trade deals but denied they have put long-time star player Alvin Patrimonio on the trading block.
"Sa amin na matatapos ang career niya (Patrimonio). Kalokohan ang balitang itre-trade namin siya," said Pardo.
The final list of 2003 draft applicants includes potential first-rounders Romel Adducul, Enrico Villanueva, Eddie Laure, Sunday Salvacion, John Ferriols, Reynel Hugnatan, Marlon Legaspi, Billy Mamaril and Ronald Tubid.
Completing the list are Richmond delos Cientos, Eugene Tejada, Joseph Lee Dominguez, Khomar Khansroff, Stephen Padilla, Paul Kelani Ferreira, Clarence Cole, Jimmy Alapag, Sanley de Castro, Abraham Gabriel Pagtama, Mark Caguco, Jeck Chia, Melvin Taguines, Aldrich Reyes, Chris Guinto, Dennis Madrid, Rysal Castro, Michael Peteros, Adonis Sta. Maria, Bruce Dacia, Carlos Sayon, Dustin Coloso, Francis Rauschmayer, Tom Arceno, Jenkins Mesina, Richard Hardine, William Kahi Villa, Ariel Capus, Egay Echavez, Leo Bat-og, Harvey Carey, Jeffrey Sanders, Arnold Calo, Ramil Ferma, Leodito Yanogacio, Cyrus Baguio, Dennis Morante, Michael Roland Bravo, Jerry Payot Jaca, Rosauro Luis Savador Jr., Ralph Rivera, Christopher Corbin, Rendel dela Rea, Vincent San Diego, Jose Leonito Villar, Rob Johnson, Sunny Boy Margate, Francis Oliver Machica, Raymund Soto, Edwin Pimentel and Brando Lee Kaui Cablay.