SURPRISES were aplenty in the 2022 PBA Draft as a handful of unheralded stars heard their names early - and some top prospects slipped down the order.
From as high as the second overall pick, there was a fine mix of homegrown talent and foreign-born standouts who took huge leaps toward playing in the PBA.
READ: Stephen Holt, Christian David, Luis Villegas top 3 picks in PBA Draft
Here are eight prospects you might not know much of just yet, but were called up in the first two rounds.
CHRISTIAN DAVID (#2 pick, Blackwater)
Blackwater got another gem when it made Christian David its second overall pick.
Despite missing the Draft Combine after arriving late in the country, David carries an abundant array of international playing experience.
The 6-foot-6 Canadian forward earned his NCAA Division I basketball pedigree at Butler University. He completed his five-year US collegiate stint despite suffering an ACL injury in the 2019-20 season.
And albeit brief, David also played for the Seoul Thunders in the Korean Basketball League — one that lasted for just three months.
RICHARD RODGER (#7 pick, NLEX)
Hailing from New Zealand, 6-foot-2 playmaker Richie Rodger is no stranger to Philippine basketball.
The 26-year-old Fil-Kiwi ace was supposed to suit up for the UE Red Warriors before the pandemic halted his UAAP career before it even began back in Season 82.
Rodger did play in his home country's National Basketball League (NBL) for half a decade with the Taranaki Airs and the Otago Nuggets.
And just last year, Rodger was part of the New Zealand Tall Blacks squad which defeated Gilas Pilipinas, 88-63, in the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers.
CADE FLORES (#11 pick, Northport)
Not too far away in the Oceania region comes Fil-Australian big man Cade Flores — NCAA Season 98 Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.
Just like Rodger, Flores also missed the Draft Combine due to prior commitments back home.
The 25-year-old, 6-foot-5 breakout star had a one-and-done stint with Arellano in which he picked up a handful of accolades before opting out of his last playing year to turn pro in the PBA.
TAYLOR JAMES MILLER (#12 pick, Terrafirma)
Third-generation American college ace Taylor Miller was among the unfamiliar names to emerge as a first-round pick.
The Las Vegas-born 6-foot-2 guard came from a family of collegiate basketball players and played for Westminster University in Salt Lake City, Utah.
And at a young age of 23, Miller was named as one of Nevada's best high school cagers as its top scoring prospect before landing brief playing stints at Utah's Brigham Young University and Snow College.
BRYAN SANTOS (#14 pick, Converge)
After an abrupt end to his UAAP career, former UST Tiger Bryan Santos now finds a new home in the PBA.
The 6-foot-5 forward was infamously hit with a one-game suspension for a late elbow thrown at Ateneo's Geo Chiu in the dying seconds of their Season 84 prelims match.
Ahead of Season 85, former UST coach Bal David bared that Santos was ineligible to continue with the Tigers upon reaching the UAAP age limit of 25 even before the tournament begun.
ENOCH VALDEZ (#18 pick, NLEX)
Lyceum guard and NCAA Season 97 All-Star MVP Enoch Valdez is set for a balancing act as he plays his final year with the Pirates then begin his PBA journey with NLEX.
The 6-foot-2 Pangasinense is among select players who will benefit from an NCAA rule allowing seniors to play out their final year of eligibility and apply for pro league drafts.
Taking pride in his stellar-two way game, Valdez looks to track an identical path as ex-Lyceum star CJ Perez in the pros.
JOHN LOUISE DELOS SANTOS (#19 pick, Converge)
Despite being among few draftees below six feet tall, JL Delos Santos was a standout at Jose Rizal University in the NCAA.
Delos Santos won multiple Player of the Game honors for the Heavy Bombers through his scoring exploits.
The 24-year-old guard is listed at 5-foot-11 upon being drafted by Converge as the 19th overall pick in the second round.
JHAN MCHALE NERMAL (#21 pick, NLEX)
At 30 years old, one of the oldest draftees in the rookie class of 2023 carries an awe-inspiring story of perseverance in his road to the PBA.
Against all the odds he was dealt with in life, Jhan Nermal strived to complete his vocational course in welding to become a construction worker who helped provide for his family's daily needs in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental.
Nermal still fought hard to pursue his basketball aspirations despite previous rejections in high school. From a brief stint with San Miguel's 3x3 team, the 6-foot-3 guard is on his way to finally realizing his PBA dream with NLEX.
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