IT may have failed to approximate the record list a year ago, but the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft remains stacked with talent that may go as deep as the third round.
The official list of 67 rookie prospects – down from the record 128 that applied for Season 48 – are guard-loaded, as described by most of coaches who were around during the two-day Draft Combine at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
While combo guards are the norm, though, quality bigs aren’t lacking either as they’re expected to crowd the rest of the field in the first round, with Converge enjoying the benefit of selecting first out of the 12 teams.
And who are the potential players who may be taken in the first round? SPIN.PH listed several of them below, in no particular order:
JUSTINE BALTAZAR
The consensus pick to headline the Season 49 batch of rookies. Measured among the tallest in the field at 6-foot-6 7/5, the big man out of La Salle’s 2016 championship run applied in the draft two years ago, but withdrew at the last minute upon receiving an offer to play in the Japan B.League.
The 27-year-old native of Mabalacat, Pampanga has been a champion in all levels, from high school, college, and all the way to the MPBL. He hopes to bring that winning tradition as he enters the PBA.
SEDRICK BAREFIELD
His story is the same as Baltazar's, applying in the draft in 2022 only to be scratched out from the final list for failing to submit a hard copy of his Filipino passport.
Regarded in the same breath as former Rookie of the Year Mikey Williams, the 27-year-old Fil-Am out of University of Utah once suited up in the NBA G-League (Oklahoma City Blue) and had extensive playing experience overseas.
CAELAN TIONGSON
He may be old by rookie standards at 32, but so were Williams (30) and Stephen Holt (31) when they made themselves available in the draft before going on to make their presence felt in the league right away.
Officially listed at 6-foot-5, the wingman from Biola University isn’t lacking in experience as far as playing Philippine basketball is concerned, having once been part of Alab Pilipinas and briefly, the Barangay Ginebra 3x3 team. He previously saw action in the defunct ASEAN Basketball League and the T1 League in Taipei, and is currently suiting up for Strong Group Athletics in the William Jones Cup.
KAI BALLUNGAY
He forewent his remaining playing year with Ateneo to pursue a pro career, but not before leaving his imprint in the amateurs. In the two years he played under the program of coach Tab Baldwin, the now-22-year-old Fil-Am was in the UAAP Final Four both times, including winning a championship in Season 85.
In his final year with the Blue Eagles, he led the team in scoring with an average of 11.3 points. He’s measured at 6-foot-6 2/5, and his size, length, and athleticism make him one of the coveted bigs in the draft.
RJ ABARRIENTOS
His basketball pedigree alone is more than enough for many to take interest in the wily 5-foot-11 point guard many argue as the best playmaker in this rookie batch. The nephew of PBA great Johnny, RJ briefly played for the FEU Tamaraws in college before taking his act to the Korean Basketball League (Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus) where he emerged Rookie of the Year (2022-23), and later the Japan B.League (Shinshu Brave Warriors).
He failed to attend the Draft Combine, as it coincided with SGA’s tune-up match against Magnolia as part of its preparation for the Jones Cup. In that friendly, however, word got out that Abarrientos put on a show and outplayed the Hotshots’ platoon of guards.
DAVE ILDEFONSO
Another young gun who has basketball in his blood, the son of two-time PBA MVP Danny – who's now a deputy coach at Converge – won a UAAP championship with Ateneo before deciding to play in the KBL for two years (Suwon KT Sonicboom), including a stint in the finals in the just-concluded season where his team lost to KCC Egis.
Unofficially listed at 6-foot-4, Dave wields a threatening jump shot as well as physical defense that make him a perfect two-way player at the wings. He hopes to play alongside his brother Shaun in Rain or Shine, which owns the No. 7 and 8 picks, provided he doesn’t get selected earlier in the draft.
JONNEL POLICARPIO
Along with Baltazar and Ballungay, the former La Salle workhorse is another highly-sought big man in this year’s rookie batch. The 6-foot-5 forward also left college early to play in the pros, but not after making an immediate impact in his first go-round with the Green Archers.
Policarpio, who had been compared to Arwind Santos since his days in Mapua High School, helped bring back the UAAP men’s basketball championship to Taft Ave. As the youngest rookie aspirant at 22, he then showedd age is just a number in how he dominated the Draft Combine 5-on-5 games to emerge as MVP. Hopefully, his rumored personal issues won’t get in the way of him landing as a prospective first-rounder.
CJ CANSINO
Blessed with talent as good as his looks, Cansino is another first round option who’s expected to produce right away under a coach and a system that will fit him. A former UAAP juniors MVP with the UST Tiger Cubs, the Valenzuela City native also played for UST’s senior team in a stint marred by both highs and lows.
He eventually moved to the University of the Philippines, where he played a major role in helping the Fighting Maroons win the Season 84 championship that ended the school’s 36-year title drought.
EVAN NELLE
The La Salle playmaker was among the early applicants the draft, but saw his stock fell a bit following the late entry of guys such as Abarrientos and Jerom Lastimosa. Still, he remains on the radar as a first round pick given his extensive exposure in both the NCAA and UAAP, where he won championships for the San Beda Red Lions and the Green Archers, respectively.
The 26-year-old even went to the extent of training with PBA great Jimmy Alapag, now a deputy coach with the Sacramento Kings, in the US to get the needed preparation going into the draft.
JEROM LASTIMOSA
Adamson's heart and soul of the last few years is still recovering from an ACL surgery. But he remains a can’t-miss prospect in the same breath as Jeremiah Gray and Luis Villegas, who were picked at No. 2 (Season 47) and No. 3 (Season 48) despite being on the injured list.
That's because when healthy, there’s no doubt Lastimosa can play. A streaky guard, he led the Soaring Falcons to a memorable upset of mighty La Salle in a playoff for the last Final Four berth during Season 85. His uncanny ability in the backcourt earned him a second look from former national team coach Chot Reyes, who included him in the Gilas Pilipinas team that regained the basketball gold in last year’s Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.
MARK NONOY
Another clutch backcourt player who has proved his worth playing for University of Santo Tomas, where he was hailed as UAAP Season 82 Rookie of the Year, and La Salle, where he finally won a men’s basketball title.
Speed that kills and shooting that thrills are two of the major assets of this 5-foot-9 playmaker who earned the nickname ‘Russell Westbrook of Iloilo’ while he was still playing in his hometown. Nonoy made his mark in the Draft Combine by emerging as the best performer in two physical tests – 3/4 running sprint and running vertical jump.
BRANDON RAMIREZ/BEN PHILIPS
Both are serviceable big men who can give any team additional body and bulk off the bench.
The hulking Ramirez has already showcased his skills in the PBA 3x3 where he once emerged as best scorer (Season 3 Second Conference). He was also named member of the Mythical Team Draft Combine.
Philips, meanwhile, failed to show up in the combine, but is a known two-sport athlete in La Salle, where he was part of both the men’s basketball and volleyball teams. He was with Gilas team as well that won back the gold in the Cambodia SEA Games – along with brother Michael – and six months later, with the Green Archers side that was crowned UAAP men’s basketball champion.
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