PBA board to finalize rookie draft order for Gilas players

MANILA, Philippines - The PBA board of governors will meet next Thursday to resolve the ticklish issue of the draft order among 12 PBA teams for Gilas Pilipinas players in the Rookie Draft on Oct. 30 at Robinsons Place Manila.

They will deliberate on whether to follow the draft order in the regular draft including draft rights acquired from past deal or proceed with the natural order or a new scheme to be passed by the board when they meet at the PBA office in Libis, QC.

But with Blackwater’s last-place finish in the last two years, the Elite are likely to gain the top pick whatever draft order would be agreed upon.

Six-foot-four forward Mac Belo, a consistent top performer from his UAAP days with FEU and with his stints in the Gilas cadet in the SEA Games, SEABA and in the recent FIBA Asia Challenge, is tipped to emerge as the top pick.

Other top players in the Gilas roster are gunners Kevin Ferrer and Roger Pogoy, guards Ed Daquiaog, Mike Tolomia and Jio Jalalon, and big man Arnold Van Opstal.

Completing the Gilas cast are Russel Escoto, Von Pessumal, Carl Bryan Cruz, Alfonso Gotladera and Matthew Wright.

Guard Almond Vosotros was also recruited to join the Gilas team but he’s not included in the 2016 draft since he has been previously drafted by Blackwater.

Under the agreement, the 12 PBA teams will draft one Gilas player each and they are barred from trading these Gilas players in the next two years.

The regular draft is also set on Oct. 30 with a pool of over 40 aspirants, including potential first-rounders Raphael Banal, Joshua Alolino, Chris Javier, Joeffrey Javillonar and Jonathan Grey.

Blackwater is No. 1 in the regular draft order.

Phoenix Petroleum is No. 2 with the draft rights the team earned from a previous trade deal with Star.

Third is Barangay Ginebra (from Phoenix), followed by Mahindra, Star (from GlobalPort), San Miguel Beer (from NLEX), Meralco, NLEX (from TNT KaTropa), Rain or Shine, Ginebra, Alaska and Phoenix (from San Miguel) to round out the first round.

Draft order in the second round is NLEX (from Blackwater), Rain or Shine (from Star), GlobalPort (from Phoenix), Meralco (from Mahindra), Alaska (from Globalport), Rain or Shine (from NLEX), GlobalPort (from Meralco), Phoenix (from TNT), Rain or Shine, Mahindra (from Ginebra), Alaska and Phoenix (from San Miguel).

 Last year, Blackwater and Kia should’ve been No. 1 and No. 2 but they ceded the rights to TNT on trade deals. The Texters used those rights to acquire Moala Tautuaa and Troy Rosario.

Meralco’s Chris Newsome, the No. 4 pick, beat Tautuaa, Rosario and third pick Maverick Ahanmisi for the Rookie of the Year award.

Ahead of the 2016 draft proceedings, the hopefuls will show their wares in the Gatorade Draft Combine (skills and agility tests) at the Hoops Dome in Mandaluyong on Oct. 26-27 before the Commissioner’s Office makes the final draft rosters.