CHICAGO - Quentin Millora-Brown was the first high-profile name to fall off the 2025 PBA Rookie Draft board last July 22 when his agent confirmed that the former UP Fighting Maroons center will instead chase his hoops dreams overseas.
A week later, Rhenz Abando followed suit after the Anyang Red Boosters of the Korean Basketball League (KBL) announced his return to the team via a one-year deal.
READ All these players are willing to play for Gilas at SEA Games
And on this Thursday morning, the bleeding continued.
Per multiple sources, blue-chip prospect Remy Martin, the No. 1 pick in several mock drafts, will not enter his name in this year's proceedings.
Although a bit undersized at 6-feet and 175 pounds, Martin is quick as a cat burglar, has excellent court vision, and is a fearless scorer.
One of the best-credentialed Fil-Am players in recent memory, Martin averaged 13.6 points, three rebounds and 3.7 assists in 148 collegiate games including a 38 percent clip from 3 in his final year of eligibility.
After a four-year stint at Arizona State, the now 27-year-old point guard won a US NCAA Division 1 title as a star contributor for the 2022 Kansas Jayhawks, a powerhouse team that also paraded current Toronto Raptor Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun of the Denver Nuggets.
ROAD TRIP.
Undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, Remy took his act to Lavrio of the Greek League before going to Iceland where he last played for Keflavik in the 2023-24 season and captured the Icelandic Cup before suffering an Achilles injury.
Multiple teams have offered him big money, north of $10,000 I am told, to come back to Iceland. But the weather there, brutally cold and with just four hours of sunlight in the dead of the winter, isn't enticing to a stud that was born and bred in sunny California.
Guess what's also not appealing?
Being taken at No. 1 by Terrafirma and collecting no more than P420,000 or roughly $7,500 a month. Knowing how small the basketball world has shrunk into, chances are the fine folks at Wasserman, which represents Martin, know that the Dyip are a lousy team that doesn't exude a winning brand.
According to a person familiar with the situation, Martin is said to be "focused on getting back to 100 percent healthy."
But it's not all doom and gloom.
While Pinoy fans may miss out on seeing a legit NCAA star displaying his craft in the PBA, they may still get the chance to see Martin play for Gilas in the SEA Games this December if the eligibility rules allow.
And from there, who knows.
Maybe next year. But then again, maybe the PBA just isn't meant to be for Remy Martin.
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