THE likes of Jason Brickman, Geo Chiu, and Will Gozum will likely take time to play in the PBA once they get drafted.
With a live contract with their respective teams in the MPBL, the three players along with others whose teams are in strong contention for the coming playoffs, are expected to miss the early part of the Season 50 Philippine Cup.
It was the exact situation of last year’s top rookie pick Justine Baltazar, who finished the MPBL Season 6 before joining Converge in the PBA.
READ Chiu in, but Paras, Lane out as PBA draft applicants reach 128
The 6-foot-8 Baltazar powered the Pampanga Giant Lanterns to back-to-back championships, was adjudged the Finals MVP for the second straight year, and won a second straight regular MVP honor.
Now, Brickman, Chiu, and Gozum are in the same boat.
“May mga existing contracts yan, so kailangan tapusin nila yung season especially yung mga teams contending for the championship,” a source privy to the deal told Spin.ph.
Chiu and Brickman, who are both expected to go in the first round, are teammates with the Abra Weavers, who are currently on top of the MPBL North Division with a 22-1 (win-loss record).
Two other rookie prospects who applied for the draft are also with the Weavers in Jack Dumont-Cruz and CJ Austria.
Gozum, the former NCAA MVP out of College of St. Benilde, is currently with the Quezon Huskers along with LJay Gonzales, Ximone Sandogon, and Joshua Yerro, all playing major roles with the team that is leading the South Division with a 20-4 standings.
Both the Weavers and Huskies already clinched spots in the coming playoffs.
“Ang makakalaro na agad sa PBA yung mga players na hindi na in contention yung teams sa playoffs. Or kung yung team nila maagang na-out sa playoffs,” said the same source.
Former University of Santo Tomas stalwart Christian Manaytay, the Emilio Aguinaldo College pair of King Gurtiza and Harvey Pagsanjan, Adamson’s Dawn Ochea, Reggs Gabat of San Sebastian, and John Paul Cauilan of National University are also seeing action for teams that are contending for the Season 7 championship of the regional league.
Manaytay is with Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards, Gurtiza and Pagsanjan are with the Pangasinan Heatwaves, Ochea is with Batangas, while Gabat and Cauilan are with Zamboanga.
The Vanguards are in a neck-to-neck battle with Abra in the North Division at 23-2, the Heatwaves carry a 16-7 slate and in contention for the playoffs, while the Rhum Masters and Sikat are slugging it out for the No. 2 spot in the South Division with similar 17-8 records.
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