THE leading candidate for the No. 1 pick in the PBA Season 51 Rookie Draft slated in early 2027 with one conference to go in the ongoing season is not who you think it is.
NLEX is currently leading the race for the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft at the end of the 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup last week, even after making the playoffs in each of the last two conferences and emerging as the No. 1 seed in the playoffs during the midseason conference.
READ Mike Phillips plans to enter PBA Rookie Draft, says brother Ben
That is because NLEX already owns Blackwater’s Season 51 first-round draft pick which they secured back in February 2024 in a three-team trade.
The Bossing traded that Season 51 first-round draft right, Ato Ular, and Yousef Taha to NLEX for Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, who was later traded by Blackwater to TNT for Jaydee Tungcab, Justin Chua, and the Tropang 5G’s Season 51 first-round draft pick. (See NLEX trades Brandon Rosser to Blackwater for Ular, Taha, first-round pick)
Blackwater finished at 11th place in the Philippine Cup and 13th and last place in Commissioner’s Cup, putting them in line to pick first in the next rookie draft.
Among the big names that could potentially enter the draft are Mike Phillips, Ced Manzano, Kymani Ladi, Jake Figueroa, Harold Alarcon, and DJ Fenner and overseas free agents Kai Sotto, Dwight Ramos, and Thirdy Ravena, if they surprisingly go the PBA route.
According to PBA rules, the draft order is determined based on the rankings of the teams under a set-up where the Philippine Cup is given a higher percentage (40 percent) than the Commissioner’s Cup (30%) and the Governors’ Cup (30%).
Also based on SPIN.ph’s unofficial computation, Ginebra will be picking at No. 2, if the draft is held at posting time, as Terrafirma, the original owner of the draft pick, finished 12th in the Philippine Cup and 10th in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The Gin Kings, who won the Commissioner’s Cup Finals in seven games against TNT, already owned the Dyip’s Season 51 first round draft pick which they secured in a November 2025 trade for Maverick Ahanmisi and Aljon Mariano. (See Ginebra trades Ahanmisi, Mariano to Terrafirma for draft pick)
Titan Ultra is currently at No. 3 in the draft race after finishing ninth in the Philippine Cup and 11th in the Commissioner’s Cup, followed by Phoenix Super LPG at No. 4 after ending up 10th in the Philippine Cup and eighth in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Although it gave away its 51st Season first-round draft pick, it doesn't mean Terrafirma no longer has one. The Dyip will select at No. 5 from the draft pick originally owned by Converge, which gave away the right along with Aljun Melecio and Keith Saldivar to be able to acquire Jordan Heading in a November 2024 trade. (See Converge gets Jordan Heading rights in trade with Terrafirma)
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