A TOTAL of 23 rookie hopefuls are set to become unrestricted free agents since they didn't receive tender offers from the PBA ballclubs that drafted them, according to a memo released by the pro league.
Heading the list are six NorthPort draftees in Loren Brill, Marvin Moraga, Carl Bryan Ravanes, Seraj Elmejrab, Jonico Rosales, and Jonathan Mendoza, who was the last player among the 65 hopefuls selected in the March 14 draft.
The 23 rookies will now be part of the unrestricted free agent list and can sign with any ballclub they want to under PBA laws.
The remaining 42 first-year players were made to sign tender offers with their mother teams, which formalized their intention to keep the rights on these players.
Tender offers, however, are not yet the actual contracts of the player, the terms of which will still be negotiated and formalized in the Uniform Players’ Contract (UPC) to be submitted to the PBA.
Others who automatically became free agents were Dhon Reverente, Jay Javelosa, Mico Custodio, and Terrence Tumalip of Terrafirma, and Jun Bonsubre, Joe Presbitero, Joseph Alcantara, and Alberto Torres of NLEX.
Blackwater also released Kimlee Bayquin and Jeson Delfinado, while Meralco’s John Yasa and Luis Brill have were also relegated to the free agent list.
Joel Lee Yu and Martin Gozum were released by TNT while Philip Manalang (Rain or Shine), Andoy Estrella (Magnolia), and Luis Antonio Abaca (San Miguel) have become free agents as well.
Here's the full list:
Loren Brill
Marvin Moraga
Carl Bryan Ravanes
Seraj Elmejrab
Jonico Rosales
Jonathan Mendoza
Kim Lee Bayquin
Jeson Delfinado
Antonio Bonsubre
Jose Presbitero
Joseph Alcantara
Alberto Torres
Philip Manalang
Andrew Estrella
John Yasa
Luis Brill
Joel Lee Yu
Martin Gozum
Luis Antonio Abaca
Dhon Reverente
Michael Javelosa
Immanuel Custodio
Terrence Tumalip