MANILA, Philippines, October 22 ------ Only 30 of the record 79 players picked in the previous PBA Rookie Draft cracked the opening-day rosters of the 12 teams for the Commissioner’s Cup that is set to unfurl on November 5. All of the 12 first-round picks, led by No. 1 draftee Steph Holt, No. 2 Christian David, No. 3 Luis Villegas, No. 4 Keith Datu, and No. 5 Zavier Lucero, signed with the teams that selected them.
Holt, a 31-year-old veteran who saw action in the NBA G League and played all over Europe, seeks to breathe new life into struggling Terrafirma alongside fellow rookies Taylor Miller, Kemark Cariño, and Tommy Olivario. David is the only rookie who made the Blackwater lineup out of the five players it drafted, while the twin towers of Villegas and Datu inked deals with Rain or Shine together with sharpshooter Sherwin Concepcion.
Villegas, though, is expected to miss the entire conference due to a knee injury, similar to Lucero of NorthPort. With Lucero on the injured/reserve list, NorthPort is banking on Cade Flores, Fran Yu, and Brent Paraiso to provide immediate impact among its four newcomers. Like NorthPort, Phoenix also has four rookies in its roster in No. 6 pick Kenneth Tuffin, Ricci Rivero, Raffy Verano, and Matthew Daves.
Converge signed the most number of rookies with six, bringing in No. 9 selection Schonny Winston, BJ Andrade, Inand Fornillos, Patrick Maagdenberg, Bryan Santos, and Kamron Vigan-Fleming. Meralco (Brandon Bates and Shean Jackson), NLEX (Richie Rodger and Dominic Fajardo), and TNT (Henry Galinato and Kim Aurin) have two rookies each, while Ginebra (Ralph Cu) and San Miguel (Troy Mallillin) have one apiece.
TNT ended draft day with no picks, but it acquired Galinato through a trade with Rain or Shine and then picked up Aurin after he went unsigned by Ginebra. Vigan-Fleming and Jackson were the lowest draftees to earn roster spots as they landed at No. 61 and 62, respectively. Magnolia ended up as the only team with no rookies as it opted to keep its core intact after going unbeaten in the PBA On Tour, a preseason tournament organized by the league. Prominent draftees who were left out of the opening day rosters include Enoch Valdez, James Kwekuteye, Kyt Jimenez, Louie Sangalang, Adrian Nocum, King Caralipio, and John Amores.
Magnolia and TNT open hostilities at the Araneta Coliseum as the PBA features four days of doubleheaders each week.
Source: rappler.com
Коментарі