JUST like in past PBA Rookie Drafts, expect a mad dash for teams to go big as they look to beef up their frontlines.
Justine Baltazar, rightfully so, is poised to be the top selection with hard-nosed forwards Caelan Tiongson and Jonnel Policarpio not far behind.
Yet there’s one more slotman who may intrigue teams picking in the first round: La Salle’s Ben Phillips.
The Fil-Am banger was not present during the Draft Combine as he’s still in the United States, but should garner enough interest from teams considering that he’s a two-sport athlete in Taft.
Phillips, 25, played two seasons with the Green Archers while also suiting up as a middle blocker for the Green Spikers.
However, the 6-foot-8 forward hopes that whichever team selects him will be patient as he’s still tending to some prior commitments, especially with his venture The Business Hospital based in Cincinnati, Ohio where he is the chief operating officer.
“We operate in 14 countries around the world and exist to help treat companies in all business aspects to become healthy, no differently than a medical hospital with humans,” he said.
That, on top of his studies in La Salle where he’s finishing a doctorate degree in business administration and publishing his fourth book, has kept Phillips’ cupboard overflowing which may force him to miss the entirety of the upcoming PBA Governors’ Cup to start the new season if drafted and if offered a contract.
“I’m still monitoring my timeline with my agent sir Marvin Espiritu regarding when I will be available due to my business contractual obligations. So most likely I will not be available for this upcoming conference,” he said.
“However, my plan is still to stay ready and be available for 2025 with any team willing to take a chance on me. My plan also is to be an extremely well-rounded individual with a focus on becoming a doctor and international businessman to serve the Philippines in multiple capacities.”
It’s a unique setup, but one that Phillips is grateful to have as he sat down with commissioner Willie Marcial first before keeping his name in the draft pool.
“I entered my name in the draft because of my passion and dedication to basketball and the opportunity that there is in the PBA. I’m very grateful for Commissioner Marcial for allowing me to still participate in this draft,” he said.
Basketball may take a bit of a backseat for Phillips for the meantime but he wants to keep himself in the thick of things.
And who knows, like how things panned out for past unheralded La Salle big men in the PBA like Brandon Bates and James Laput, Phillips may just be worth the wait.
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