THE countdown begins for La Salle center Justine Baltazar as he decides whether to apply for the PBA Rookie Draft or not in the final hours before the deadline for the filing of applications at noon of Saturday.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial said Baltazar has not submitted his application for the draft on Friday, when the prodigious center's college career ended on a heartbreaking note after the UP Maroons' 78-74 win over the Green Archers.
[See UP Maroons pull off great comeback vs La Salle, reach UAAP Finals]
As the deadline is nearing, Marcial said he expects the 6-7 Kapampangan to enter the draft but added he has also received reports that Baltazar is also looking at playing in the Japan B.League before moving to the PBA.
“Wala pa kasi sinasabi na baka maglaro muna sa Japan,” said Marcial during Friday’s SPIN Zoom In episode.
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Baltazar is one of the big names from the collegiate pool eagerly awaited by PBA teams as he finished his last season La Salle.
The Mabalacat, Pampanga native also had stints with Gilas Pilipinas previously, making him a candidate to also be called up in the future, with the impending scrapping of the Gilas draft.
Marcial expects other names to come in on Saturday.
“Bukas, sigurado may hahabol pa,” said Marcial.
Baltazar became eligible to apply for the PBA draft after the UAAP cleared players to turn in applications even before the end of the season. In previous years, UAAP players were not allowed to enter the draft while the season was in progress.
“Nagpapasalamat kami sa UAAP board of trustees, kay executive director Rebo Saguisag na pinagbigyan kami na maski naglalaro sila na payagan na sila magpa-draft. Simula ngayon, may close coordination na kami sa UAAP,” said Marcial.
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