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    Players picked late in PBA draft can draw inspiration from these five

    Meet five PBA stars who defied lukewarm draft projections
    Sep 22, 2023
    Ato Agustin Olsen Racela PJ Simon Cyrus Baguio Aaron Black

    FROM 128 applicants that was pruned down to 124 on Sunday, no less than 79 rookie hopefuls heard their names called in a PBA Season 48 Draft that got as deep as the ninth around. All three ended up as league all-time records.

    The spotlight, as expected, fell on the first-rounders who under salary cap rules are entitled to contracts under the league rookie maximum for freshmen, which stood at P200,000 a month or P2.4 million in the first year and P300,000 a month on the second year.

    READ: FULL LIST of 79 players picked in PBA Season 48 Rookie Draft

    But for most players selected atfer the first round, the pre-draft priority is all about landing a spot in any of the 12 PBA ballclubs. Not an easy task, especially in a league that has resisted mounting calls for expansion since it last did in 2014.

    The late picks face an tall order, no doubt, but not improbably. And if they need any inspiration, all they need to do is google the careers these five players had after being called late in the PBA rookie draft.

    ato agustin caidic samboy

    ATO AGUSTIN (6th pick in second round, 12th overall, 1989 PBA draft)

    Agustin was an undersized forward from Lubao who after leaving Assumption College in San Fernando, Pampanga built a career at Lyceum and with Hope in the PABL. The problem was, he ended up in admittedly the best PBA draft class ever headed by Benjie Paras. Worse, he was picked by San Miguel and had to play behind Hector Calma and Franz Pumaren in the backcourt. But Agustin took advantage of every single break he had and ended up playing 11 years in the PBA and became its only non-first-rounder to win the MVP award in 1992.

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    Olsen Racela

    OLSEN RACELA (3rd pick in second round, 11th overall, 1993 PBA draft)

    Olsen Racela not only had the misfortune of being in the same draft as Johnny Abarrientos and Jun Limpot, he also had to play behind Dindo Pumaren when he was picked in the second round in 1993. But just like he did in college when he rose from being a back-up to Jun Reyes to Ateneo leader, he proved himself enough to get the attention of the late great Ron Jacobs, who after trading for him in 1997 gave him the keys to the SMB offense. Racela ended up playing in the PBA until age 40.

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    READ: Ron Jacobs' master stroke of acquiring Olsen in a trade with Purefoods

    PJ SIMON (Fifth pick in 5th round, 43rd overall, 2001 PBA draft)

    The best underdog draft story, of course, belongs to PJ Simon, who was picked so late in the 2001 draft by Sta. Lucia that the PBA forgot about him - until he started proving himself in the MBA and later in the PBL, where he was spotted by then Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio and signed to a free-agent contract. He ended up becoming one of the all-time greats with the fabled team, alongside the Patrimonios, Codineras and Yaps, his jersey retired by the franchise just recently.

    READ: He's the coach who picked up PJ Simon as a free agent in 2004

    cyrus baguio

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    CYRUS BAGUIO (Fourth pick in the second round, 14th overall, 2003 PBA draft)

    Baguio was an ultra-athletic guard who was a consensus first-rounder but faded to the middle picks of the second round in 2003, mostly because of a rugged amateur career. But he had the good fortune of being nurtured in his early years by coach Yeng Guiao, who allowed the high-flyer from Iligan to blossom at Red Bull. He ended up playing 16 years in the PBA with marquee teams like Ginebra and Alaska until 2019.

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      AARON BLACK (Sixth pick in second round 23rd overall, 2019 PBA draft)

      Not only did Aaron Black had to overcome lukewarm draft projections, he also had to prove to everybody that he is more than just Meralco coach Norman Black's son. That was exactly what the underrated but crafty guard did in a freshman year that saw him become the lowest-drafted player to ever win top rookie honors while helping the Bolts put together one of their best seasons in franchise history.

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