WILL he or won't he?
Thirdy Ravena is now on the clock as the fancied Ateneo winger has yet to make a decision on whether he'll enter the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft pool or not.
The three-time UAAP Finals MVP is without a shadow of doubt the consensus top overall selection in this year's batch, but that is if he chooses to submit his application form.
Deadline for applications for both locals and Fil-foreign players is set at 5 p.m. on Friday.
For the second straight year, Columbian Dyip will have the number one selection and will have the first crack on the neophyte pool.
The Kia franchise actually had the past two top selections, but it chose to trade the rights to its slot in the 2017 PBA Draft to San Miguel, leading to the highly controversial selection of Fil-German big man Christian Standhardinger.
Columbian did hold on to its pick last year, selecting former NCAA MVP CJ Perez of Lyceum at the pole position.
The Dyip, which finished 10th in the Philippine Cup, and 11th and 10th, respectively, in the import-laden conferences, narrowly beat out Blackwater Elite for the top spot.
Columbian got 10.3 total points against Blackwater's 10.2, as rankings for the all-Filipino conference are valued at 40-percent, while those for both the Commissioner's and Governors' Cups are weighed at 30 percent.
After Ravena, it's anybody's guess who teams have their eyes on.
Ateneo's Isaac Go has made a strong impression, Fil-foreign talents like Roosevelt Adams and Sean Manganti are also intriguing choices, while teams couldn't go wrong picking the likes of Letran captain Jerrick Balanza, Cebuano scorer Rey Suerte, San Sebastian sniper Allyn Bulanadi, and Blue Eagle twins Matt and Mike Nieto.
NLEX did get itself some semblance of good news as it will select third in the draft following its shock quarterfinals exit in the third conference, making the Road Warriors only the fourth number one-seed to lose to an eight-seed.
Alaska and Rain or Shine, owning Phoenix’s pick, will fall on the fourth and fifth slots.
The Elasto Painters own the Fuel Masters' mid-first round selection from the Maverick Ahanmisi trade to the Aces. Alaska not only shipped Ping Exciminano but also the lower of its first rounders, which turned out to be Phoenix's selection it got from the Calvin Abueva trade.
Rain or Shine will also get the sixth pick, acquired from Meralco courtesy of the Raymond Almazan trade, before choosing with its own selection at no. 7, which at this point, will already be its third in the first round.
NorthPort makes its pick at eighth, followed by Magnolia at ninth.
Ginebra, TNT, and San Miguel will close out the first round.
The 2019 PBA Rookie Draft is set on December 8 at Robinson’s Ermita in Manila.