The vagaries of the draft

A week after the annual PBA Rookie Draft, teams are settling down to the business of forming contenders. Save for the Alaska Aces, who will be enjoying a short California sojourn as a reward for a grinding Fiesta Conference and preparations for their 25th anniversary in the league.

Of course, much has been made of the fact that Noy Baclao was made the top draft pick by Air21 over his more lauded teammate, Rabeh Al-Hussaini. The Ateneo Blue Eagles center did not disguise the fact that he was “insulted” by being picked number two in the draft, after the media had buttered him up by saying he was a lock for the top spot. There was even a rumor that circulated that Baclao was warned to watch out for their first practice.

Well, surprise, surprise.

First of all, Al-Hussaini’s sense of entitlement is exactly what is wrong with many college players who get television exposure and think that they are the saviors of the sport. Known to be difficult in Ateneo even in the championship seasons, Al-Hussaini was reined in very well by Norman Black, and did his talking on the basketball court, though he did still throw an occasional tantrum. He’d be much better served showing his worth in an Air21 uniform, or else he will start a spiral of being branded a malcontent and being traded when his attitude overshadows his potential. Besides, that brief flash of arrogance sends a message to the other big men in the PBA: I’m better. He has just given the rest of the league fuel to put him in his place, as a rookie. As they say, when a flock of dragons lies sleeping, you don’t slap them awake.

Secondly, Rabeh will be biting a very obvious bait. Someone wanted to show him who’s boss, and did the one thing sure to prick his ego. The fact that the beneficiary is a well-liked former teammate makes it even better. He would be far better off showing he can continue to play well with Baclao, and doesn’t care who got picked when. Baclao did not conspire with anybody to pick Al-Hussaini second. So his hands are clean. Besides, their contracts are public, and they’ve received identical deals. So essentially, the draft order had no bearing on his potential income, either.

Third, what does it mean to be the top draft pick, anyway? Every top draft pick gets traded. The last player to spend his entire career of almost two decades with the same team is B-Meg team manager Alvin Patrimonio, who came into the league in the middle of the 1988 season after playing for Mapua, and only because Purefoods then was granted a concession of four players from the national team. The story is the same everywhere. Players get picked on potential, and teams will go along with any attitude problems as long as they win, and the player contributes. It’s the same story in the NBA, PBA, UAAP, NCAA, or anywhere else.

Also, historically, college power forwards have a more difficult time in the pros, where they usually end up “tweeners,” too small to bang in the front line, but not quick or adept at ball-handling to transition to small forward or guard. Perhaps the best example of someone who had success is Jondan Salvador, who was already somewhat undersized in college playing for College of St. Benilde, but bulked up to play for Purefoods, looking like a tank rumbling through the desert. After a great first year, Salvador tore his knee, which precipitated the entry of practice player Eugene Tejada into the Giants’ line-up, and we all know what happened shortly after that. Rich Alvarez was an MVP in the UAAP, but has had a less than sterling career in the pros. College centers often make an easier move sliding to power forward or using better footspeed to keep a niche on their pro teams. So the path for Baclao is clear: get bigger, get quicker, or learn to handle the ball.

For Al-Hussaini, his belatedly developed ability to hit the perimeter jump shot will be a big asset, because he won’t have to try to overpower bigger, more experienced centers. Perhaps he might want to study the career of Joe DeVance, whose range and ability to play with Diamon Simpson made him a big contributor to the Aces’ last championship run. With the triangle, where roles are fluid and less defined, DeVance even played de facto point guard every so often. Many lessons to be learned there.

The players are sure to welcome the league’s decision to go back to the tested three-tournament format. The only drawback to the import-laden conferences back in the day was scheduling. The original calendar for import formats was the start of the year, when the best imports were all playing overseas. Besides, two conferences over more than nine months is simply too long. The players will be happy, since more games means more trophies, and more trophies means more bonuses.

All in all, your station in the draft does not determine your career path or how far your skill and attitude will take you. One injury could sidetrack you altogether. Take a look at Jay Williams, one of the few freshmen in Duke’s history to average double figures in scoring. At 6’2”, Williams was picked second overall by the Chicago Bulls in 2002, next to Houston’s 7’6” Yao Ming. Think about that. Then the Bulls, a collection of arrogant youngsters, essentially blow the season. In violation of his contract, Williams rides a motorcycle, mistakenly presses the accelerator, and wraps himself and the bike around a lightpole. When I spoke to him more than a year later, he recounted how he opened his eyes while being wheeled into surgery, and saw the look of horror on his parents’ eyes. It took 16 doctors to put him back together, and he has never been the same player.

What did Williams in? His attitude. He violated his contract, didn’t have a license, and wasn’t wearing a helmet. He was the second draft pick, he could do anything.

Or so he thought.

A lot of lessons to be learned there, too.