THE total number of rookie applicants to the PBA Season 50 Draft has been reduced to 126 after two prospects withdrew at the start of the Draft Combine on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Fil-foreign players Kareem Marcus Huntley and Wilfrid Nada will no longer be part of the Sept. 7 proceedings after deciding to pull out of the event at the last minute.
Huntley is favoring a hurting left shoulder, according to his representative Danny Espiritu, while Nada failed to complete his necessary papers for the draft.
Huntley, Nada, and Fil-Am Jason Brickman were not around at the start of the two-day combine.
READ: Jason Brickman set to miss PBA Draft Combine, event
Brickman though, failed to show up owing to a contractual obligation in Guam, but was able to ask permission from the league.
Maybe next time for Fil-fors
The 6-foot-1 Huntley, a Fil-Canadian, is a product of Southern Alberta, while the 23-year-old Nada of Sta. Barbara College hails from California.
Incidentally, all three players were supposed to be teammates for Team A-2 (Barangay Ginebra) of coach Olsen Racela, who was left with only an eight-man unit during the draft scrimmages involving all aspirants.
Espiritu said Huntley would likely try play in next year’s MPBL Season 8 once he recovers from his shoulder injury, and then re-apply for the PBA Season 51 Draft.
Initially, a total of 128 prospects applied for the annual rookie selection process.
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