MASSIVE as pundits see the upcoming PBA rookie class is, sooner or later, they have to face the uncomfortable truth that the road to the league is more than just hearing your name called in draft day.
People brand this class as one of the most loaded and most talented batches in years for so long. Soon enough, papers will have to be thrown out the window and the real test goes back on the hardcourt.
After all, there are only 180 spots up for grabs among the 12 teams (that is if every team fills up all 15 roster spots), and this being the premier basketball league in the country, seats are hard to come by.
Spin.ph crunched the numbers of the past five drafts and saw that teams indeed are willing to give chances to most aspirants, with at least half making the cut and play at least one game in the league.
Excluding the five players picked in the special Gilas draft, 31 of the 45 players called up the stage in the 2019 Rookie Draft secured contracts from ballclubs, a strong 69-percent of the haul.
However, only 24 of them, or a mere 53 percent, cracked roster spots and played in the Clark bubble this past 2020 Philippine Cup bannered by Outstanding Rookie awardee Aaron Black of Meralco.
This trend has been prevalent over the years.
In the 2018 Rookie Draft, which was bannered by CJ Perez, Bobby Ray Parks, and Robert Bolick, 23 of the 41 players (56 percent) drafted got to see action in the league, but only 20 (49 percent) remain signed by PBA teams.
Of the 43 players taken in the Christian Standhardinger and Kiefer Ravena-led 2017 PBA Draft, 25 (58 percent) were able to log at least a single minute in the league, but only 13 (30 percent) are still in the PBA.
The 2016 Rookie Draft, which also had its own special Gilas round led by Matthew Wright, Roger Pogoy, and Mac Belo, had the highest percentage of all as it saw 37 players selected and 28 of those (76 percent) were able to play in the PBA. Unfortunately, only 16 (43 percent) remain with a contract.
Curiously, the 2015 proceedings, which many feel was one of the most talented batches in recent years led by top picks Mo Tautuaa and Troy Rosario, saw 54 players get drafted and 37 (68 percent) got a chance to play in the league.
Interestingly, 29 of them (59-percent) are still in the PBA, with Alaska's Mike DiGregorio (fourth round), NLEX's Bong Galanza (fifth), and Magnolia's Alvin Abundo (seventh) among the diamonds in the rough of the said class.
Here's the breakdown of the last five drafts.
| Draft Year | Top Pick | Drafted Players | Played at least 1 game | % | Active/ Signed | % |
| 2019 | Isaac Go/ Roosevelt Adams |
45 | 24 | 53% | 31 | 69% |
| 2018 | CJ Perez |
41 | 23 | 56% | 20 | 49% |
| 2017 | Christian Standhardinger |
43 | 25 | 58% | 13 | 30% |
| 2016 | Mac Belo/ Ael Banal |
37 | 28 | 76% | 16 | 43% |
| 2015 | Mo Tautuaa |
54 | 37 | 68% | 29 | 59% |
Those numbers, in hindsight, are encouraging if you are a newcomer.
On the flipside, though, teams aren't really fond of embracing young talents, especially those contending for a championship.
Spin.ph's unofficial computation from the PBA rosters inside the Clark bubble sees that the league's average age is at 30.1 years old.
Reigning Philippine Cup champion Ginebra and dethroned five-time champion San Miguel (excluding six-time PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo) share the honors of having the oldest rosters at 31.5 years old, more than a full year over the league average.
Incoming sophomores Kent Salado, Arvin Tolentino, and Jerrick Balanza give youth to an aging Ginebra roster.
Meanwhile, Philippine Cup runner-up TNT (30.6 years), and semifinalists Phoenix Super LPG (31.2 years) and Meralco (30.3 years) are also over the league average.
Actually, only five teams were lower than the league average, four of which have yet to breach the 30-year-old bar and curiously, three failed to make it to the playoffs.
Here's the list of the average ages of PBA teams. (Note: computation of the players' ages are as of Dec. 31, 2020)
- Ginebra - 31.5 years old
- San Miguel - 31.5 years old
- Phoenix - 31.2 years old
- TNT - 30.6 years old
- Magnolia - 30.6 years old
- Meralco - 30.6 years old
- NLEX - 30.2 years old
- Rain or Shine - 30 years old
- NorthPort - 29.7 years old
- Alaska - 28.6 years old
- Blackwater - 28.3 years old
- Terrafirma - 27.1 years old
Common thinking for PBA ballclubs still sees rookies as gambles, especially those not in the top five, which make them latch on longer to their veterans.
That's why it's no surprise that we still see players in their 40s still roaming around, with of course, NLEX center Asi Taulava being the oldest at 47 years young.
Also among the league's seniors include Magnolia's Rafi Reavis (43), Meralco's Reynel Hugnatan (42), Ginebra's Mark Caguioa (41), TNT's Harvey Carey (41), and San Miguel's Billy Mamaril (40).
Of those names, only Carey has formally announced his retirement on Monday.
There poses the challenge for the rookie entrants, that in such short time, they have to prove that they can match or even exceed what these veterans bring to the table.
It's a tough challenge, but it has been done, and it's up to them to do so if they want to make a lasting impact in the PBA.
Truly, being drafted is one thing, but staying in the league is another.
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