FOR the first time in franchise history, Converge will own the No. 1 overall pick in the coming PBA draft this July.
A woeful campaign in Season 48 including a 1-10 record in the Commissioner’s Cup clinched for the FiberXers the highly-coveted pick.
Although the league has yet to come out with the official draft order pending the conclusion of the season-ending Philippine Cup, back-to-back losing campaigns by the ballclub owned by Dennis Uy assured Converge getting its highest pick in franchise history.
Converge improved its record to 2-9 after concluding its Philippine Cup campaign last week. In all, the team finished with a season record of 3-19 and failed to advance to the playoffs in the two conferences.
The draft order is determined by the combined overall win-loss records of a team during the season, with the Philippine Cup comprising 60 percent weight and the Commissioner’s Cup the 40 percent.
In a three-conference format, the Philippine Cup carries a weight of 40 percent, the Commissioner’s Cup 30 percent, and the Governors Cup 30 percent.
Blackwater actually also finished with a 1-10 slate in the Commissioner's Cup, although it finished ahead of Converge based on its head-to-head meeting based on the Bossing’s 103-84 win.
But while the Bossing also didn’t make the playoffs for the season, the team had a better record in the Philippine Cup at 3-7 with still a game left in its schedule against Phoenix on Saturday.
Nonetheless, Blackwater appeared to be already a lock too, as the No.2 team that will pick behind Converge.
Since the 2018 draft, Terrafirma has owned the No. 1 picks in the draft which it used to pick CJ Perez, Roosevelt Adams (2019), Joshua Munzon (Season 46), and Stephen Holt (Season 48).
Blackwater had the top overall pick in the Season 47 draft which turned out to be big man Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
San Miguel was the last team to select No. 1 outside of either the Dyip or Bossing in 2017, but the Beermen got the privilege following a controversial trade involving the draft rights that involved Ronald Tubid, Jay-R Reyes, Rashawn McCarthy, and a first round pick in the 2019 draft (Christian Balagasay).
Converge coach Aldin Ayo remained mum on who the FiberXers are eyeing and be added to the cornerstone of the team currently built around last season’s Rookie of the Year Justin Arana and Alec Stockton.
“Yung decision na yang kung sino ang kukunin namin, we’re going to talk about it,” said Ayo. “Hopefully, suwertihin kami sa draft.”
In the past two rookie drafts since Converge brought the Alaska franchise, the team snagged Jeo Ambohot (No.3) and Arana (No.4) during Season 47 and Schonny Winston (No. 9) and BJ Andrade (No. 10) for Season 48.
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