BEGINNING next season, the PBA will prohibit players with existing contracts in other leagues from applying in the annual rookie draft.
Commissioner Willie Marcial said the move was approved by the league board during a meeting at the Cignal TV office in Mandaluyong last week.
Marcial said the board wanted rookie applicants free from contractual obligations once they apply for the draft so as to avoid similar situations in the past where teams have to wait for drafted players to finish their respective contracts before becoming eligible to play in the PBA.
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Past cases of such nature include the last two No. 1 draft picks in Justine Baltazar and Geo Chiu, along with Jason Brickman, Mark Nonoy, Ljay Gonzales, Will Gozum, Christian Manaytay, and Mike Malonzo, among others.
Baltazar, selected as the top overall pick in Season 49, didn’t play for Converge until the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup, while Chiu and Brickman have yet to see action for their respective teams Terrafirma and Meralco as they just finished playing for reigning MPBL champion Abra Weavers.
Chui was the Dyip’s No. 1 overall selection in the last draft, while Brickman was drafted No. 7 overall by the Bolts.
“Ito para rekta na sila (rookies) agad. Hindi na kailangan pang maghintay ng teams,” said Marcial. “So once na-draft and na-sign ka, laro ka na agad sa mother team mo.”
Curiously owing to the long season, the league won’t be holding its rookie draft this year and instead, has been penciled for early January of 2027.
The MPBL season would also be over by that time as the league calendar usually ends by around December.
“Kung tapos na ang MPBL season before mag (PBA) draft, yung mga wala ng kontratang players na incoming rookies puwede ng mag-apply sa draft,” said Marcial.
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