JOSHUA Munzon, as expected, was selected first overall in the PBA Season 46 Rookie Draft by Terrafirma, which hopes to see the Cal State-Los Angeles product pick up the mantle of leadership for the team in the post CJ Perez era.
The 26-year-old Munzon seized the spotlight in the draft held under a virtual setting following his exploits in the Asean Basketball League (ABL), the PBA D-League and in 3x3 basketball where he became both a veteran internationalist and a household name.
It was the Dyip’s third consecutive No. 1 overall pick following CJ Perez and Roosevelt Adams.
The 6-foot-4 cager is expected to take over the helm at the Dyip in place of Perez, who was shipped by the ballclub to San Miguel in the offseason.
Defying pre-draft chatter that it may shake up most mock drafts and go for Mikey Williams, NorthPort instead went according to plan and selected Fil-Am high-flyer Jamie Malonzo with the No. 2 pick.
The Batang Pier cast their lot on the 6-foot-6 Malonzo, who played college ball with Portland University as well as with La Salle where he made waves in his one-and-done season in the UAAP.
NLEX also stuck to the company line with the No. 3 pick, selecting former San Beda star Calvin Oftana to allow sister team TnT to grab Williams with the No. 4 pick it got from the Road Warriors in a pre-draft trade.
Rain or Shine also drafted according to expectations by picking Santi Santillan at No. 5 before Alaska pulled off the first surprise, getting former San Beda big man Ben Adamos with the No. 6 pick of the first round.
Larry Muyang was chosen by Phoenix Super LPG at seventh, followed by James Laput at number eight by Terrafirma. Alvin Pasaol was picked No. 9 by Meralco, Jerick Ahanmisi at No. 10 by Magnolia, and Troy Rike No. 11 by NorthPort.
Barangay Ginebra rounded out the first round by selecting Ken Holmqvist at No. 12.
A total of 65 out of the 86 players who passed the eligibility requirements of the PBA - counting the four picked the Gilas special draft - were selected in the draft that lasted until the eighth round.
The second round was filled with surprises, kicked off by Barangay Ginebra's decision to select Brian Enriquez with the pick it got from NorthPort via the Jerrick Balanza trade.
Rey Mark Acuno and Joshua Torralba were picked back-to-back by Blackwater at No. 14 and No. 15, as Taylor Browne was chosen 16th overall by Alaska.
Franky Johnson went to Rain or Shine at 17th while Nick Demusis and Aljun Melecio were obtained by Phoenix Super LPG in the 18th and 19th spots, respectively.
NLEX made David Murrell the 20th pick while Anton Asistio and Andre Caracut were acquired at No. 22 and No. 23 by Rain or Shine.
Mark Olayon was the last man picked in the second round at No. 24 overall by Rain or Shine.
The third round began with Dhon Reverente being selected by Terrafirma, with Loren Brill, son of former NCC player Louie, being picked by NorthPort.
The rights to Andre Paras, the celebrity son of two-time PBA MVP Benjie Paras, was then obtained by Blackwater in the draft.
Jun Bonsubre (NLEX), Kenneth Mocon (Rain or Shine), RR De Leon (Magnolia), RK Ilagan (Alaska), Allen Enriquez (San Miguel), JR Yasa (Meralco), Raymar Caduyac (Phoenix), and Michael Simmonds (TNT) capped off the third round.
JJ Javelosa (Terrafirma), Marvin Moraga (NorthPort), Jun Manzo (Blackwater), Joe Presbitero (NLEX), RJ Argamino (Rain or Shine), Andoy Estrella (Magnolia), Mohammed Salim (San Miguel), Louie Brill III (Meralco), Maximimo Duran-Herstchel (Phoenix), and Joel Lee Yu (TNT) were selected in the fourth round.
Mico Custodio (Terrafirma), Carl Ravanes (NorthPort), Kimlee Bayquin (Blackwater), Joseph Alcantara (NLEX), Philip Manalang (Rain or Shine), Gregory Flor (San Miguel), Jerie Pingoy (Phoenix), and Martin Gozum (NLEX) ending up in the fifth round.
In the sixth round, Terrence Tumalip (Terrafirma) was picked first followed by Seraj Elmejrab (NorthPort), Jeson Delfinado (Blackwater), Alberto Torres (NLEX), and Jeff Manday (San Miguel).
Jonico Rosales was picked by NorthPort to begin the seventh round, followed by Luis Antonio Abaca by San Miguel.
Jed Mendoza ended up as the last pick in the draft after NorthPort selected him in the eighth round.
Here's how the 2020 PBA Rookie Draft went:
Special Gilas Round:
1. Terrafirma - Jordan Heading
2. NorthPort - William Navarro
3. NLEX - Tzaddy Rangel
4. TNT - Jaydee Tungcab
1st Round:
1. TER - Joshua Munzon
2. NOR - Jamie Malonzo
3. NLX - Calvin Oftana
4. TNT - Mikey Williams
5. ROS - Santi Santillan
6. ALA - Ben Adamos
7. PHX - Larry Muyang
8. TER - James Laput
9. MER - Alvin Pasaol
10. MAG - Jerrick Ahanmisi
11. NOR - Troy Rike
12. GIN - Ken Holmqvist
2nd Round:
1. GIN - Brian Enriquez
2. BLW - Reymark Acuno
3. BLW - Joshua Torralba
4. ALA - Taylor Browne
5. ROS - Franky Johnson
6. PHX - Nick Demusis
7. PHX - Aljun Melecio
8. NLX - David Murrell
9. ALA - Alec Stockton
10. ROS - Anton Asistio
11. ROS - Andrei Caracut
12. NOR - Mark Olayon
3rd Round:
1. TER - Dhon Reverente
2. NOR - Loren Brill
3. BLW - Andre Paras
4. NLX - Jun Bonsubre
5. ROS - Kenneth Mocon
6. MAG - RR de Leon
7. ALA - RK Ilagan
8. SMB - Allen Enriquez
9. MER - JR Yasa
10. PHX - Reymar Caduyac
11. TNT - Michael Rio-Simmonds
12. GIN - PASS
4th Round:
1. TER - Jay Javelosa
2. NOR - Marvin Moraga
3. BLW - Jun Manzo
4. NLX - Jomari Presbitero
5. ROS - RJ Argamino
6. MAG - Andoy Estrella
7. ALA - PASS
8. SMB - Med Salim
9. MER - Louie Brill III
10. PHX - Max Duran-Hentschel
11. TNT - Joel Lee Yu
5th Round:
1. TER - Mico Custodio
2. NOR - Carl Ravanes
3. BLW - Kimlee Bayquin
4. NLX - Joseph Alcantara
5. ROS - Philip Manalang
6. MAG - PASS
7. SMB - Gregory Flor
8. MER - PASS
9. PHX - Jerie Pingoy
10. TNT - Martin Gozum
6th Round:
1. TER - Terrence Tumalip
2. NOR - Seraj Elmejrab
3. BLW - Jeson Delfinado
4. NLX - Alberto Torres
5. ROS - PASS
6. SMB - Jeff Manday
7. PHX - PASS
8. TNT - PASS
7th Round:
1. TER - PASS
2. NOR - Jonix Rosales
3. BLW - PASS
4. NLX - PASS
5. SMB - Anton Abaca
8th Round:
1. NOR - Jed Mendoza
2. SMB - PASS
9th Round:
1. NOR - PASS
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