PETRON emerged the winner in Sunday’s lottery for the right to this year’s no. 1 pick in the coming PBA Rookie Draft.
The top pick was actually won by Air21 Express, but it went straight into the hands of the San Miguel franchise owing to a previous trade involving the two teams.
Still, it was the Express who were in attendance during the lottery held at halftime of the PBA Governors Cup Finals opener between Rain or Shine and B-Meg.
League commissioner Chito Salud presided over the draw made in the presence of Air21 team manager Jovie Sadul and Joaqui Trillo, representative to the board of Alaska, the other lottery team.
The Express had two cards inside the envelope against one for the Aces.
Alaska now owns the No. 2 pick followed by Barako Bull, whose rights ironically, had also been traded to Petron previously, Meralco, Petron (traded to Barako), Powerade (owned by Ginebra), Rain or Shine, Ginebra, B-Meg, and Talk `N Text (owned by Powerade).
Prominent names who have so far applied for the August 19 draft include former PBL and D-League MVP Vic Manuel, Smart Gilas stalwart Aldrech Ramos, former national team players Chris Ellis and Cliff Hodge, big men Dave Marcelo and Jewel Ponferada, Charles Keith Jansen, and Alex Mallari.
The deadline for application for players eligible for the draft is August 3, with other amateur stars like towering big man JunMar Fajardo, NCAA MVP Calvin Abueva, former Smart Gilas team captain Chris Tiu, and Ian Sangalang still expected to join the fray.
The draft is set on August 19 at Robinsons Manila.
