MOCK drafts are always a staple whenever its draft season.
It's a fun way for pundits and fans alike to speculate where players will end up as they make their jump to the pro leagues.
But for Allyn Bulanadi, he was using it as a gauge to see how high he fared with his peers approaching the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft.
"Tinitignan ko yung mga mock draft, nililista ko yun. Yung mga kasabayan ko kasi, mabibigat yung ka-pwestuhan ko," he Davao-born gunner told CPT Crossover Pod.
Coming off a scintillating run for San Sebastian and a superb showing for Basilan Steel-Jumbo Plastic in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), Bulanadi was a lock to be a first rounder, albeit to some which he read, he fared in the later picks.
"Karamihan kasi sa mock draft, nasa mga eight or nine ako. Nilista ko lahat ng players na pwedeng mag-number one."
It turns out, those mock drafts weren't just way off, they're dead wrong altogether.
Bulanadi was included in the special Gilas round of the draft proceedings and was eventually picked fourth, landing in Alaska.
It's a surprising turn of events for the 6-foot-3 sniper as his spot in the PBA isn't only guaranteed, he also gets a shot to represent the country in international competitions.
The earthshaking news, of course, felt unbelievable for a stunned Bulanadi.
"May game kami sa GenSan tapos tinawagan ako noon na kasama daw ako sa special draft. Hindi pa ako naniwala eh. Sabi ko, 'Wrong number yata po kayo?' Yun pala totoo," he said.
Bulanadi then responded with a superb game after, racking 13 points, four rebounds, and two assists to lift Basilan to an 85-79 win over hosts GenSan.
He has been an integral part of the Steel's offense, guiding them to the South Division Finals of the 2020 Chooks-to-Go MPBL Lakan Cup.
Bulanadi is only humbled with the opportunity given to him as he feels fortunate to be in this position this early in his professional career.
"Nagpapasalamat naman ako sa Gilas kasi nasilip nila yung potential ko eh. Kaya thankful and blessed lang ako," he said.
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