SEDRICK Barefield wasn't present in the two-day Draft Combine, but his name has gotten the loudest chatter among the coaches at the venue.
His intriguing position even piqued the interest of Blackwater coach Ariel Vanguardia who expressed that picking the former Gilas Pilipinas target at the pole position is indeed much in play.
Vanguardia on Sedrick Barefield
"The question is whether it's too good to pass up kay Barefield," he said. "Yung talent kasi baka naman Mikey Williams level na talagang exceptional and can carry the team."
It's just the kind of talent a team aspires to get when you're picking number one in the PBA Season 47 Rookie Draft as the hardluck Bossing aim to snag a franchise player in the mold of a Williams or a Stanley Pringle.
Vanguardia is well aware of Barefield's history from his time at Southern Methodist University in Texas and Utah in college to his professional exploits in the NBA G League and internationally in Lithuania and Greece.
Rightfully so, Blackwater is doing its due diligence as it has yet to see the 6-foot-2 guard upclose.
"Ilan lang ang nakapaglaro sa Europe na Filipino as an import? So nakikiramdam kami," shared Vanguardia, who even got in touch with Oklahoma City Blue assistant coach Grant Gibbs just to get a feedback.
"When you're picking at no. 1, dapat sigurado ka na you're getting a quality player. Ang maganda dito, lahat ng coach na tanungin ko, maganda ang reviews sa kanya."
But Vanguardia isn't ready to pick yet, noting that as of now, his list remains unchanged between Barefield, Justine Baltazar, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser among those likely to be taken first in the field.
"Depende pa rin. Kailangan natin ng big man eh, pero kung maganda ang review ni Barefield, baka parang maging Michael Jordan-Sam Bowie situation yan. Pero di natin alam, mukhang magaling talaga yung Barefield eh."
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