The 2023 PBA Draft (Season 48) just came and went with Stephen Holt watching on his laptop the moment his name got called and for some reason, I messed up on all of my picks.
I remember a FB comment you can check the comment out on THE PROJECT SYDRIFIED FACEBOOK PAGE and it had a reader question my decision to cast Keith Datu in the second round of the draft.
Turns out he’s right.
Ugh.
Anyway, I guess this is why draft applications must be filed at least two weeks before the scheduled event. Again, I do not know most of the Fil-Am players. I guess the teams need to research the checklist as well because I thought they missed out on a lot of players. Either they were drafted too high, too low, or weren’t drafted at all.
Without question, Stephen Holt was picked first overall by the Terrafirma Dyip. Again, if you Google search a player and everything that comes up are the many uniforms including an Atlanta Hawks practice jersey and the many places he has played, then you need to get him. While it feels like he’s probably going to ditch Terrafirma if they endlessly lose, at least we can be sure that Team Dyip has a lopsided deal lined up for him.
The draft had a lot of surprises. For starters, I am a fan of most NCAA players now and I like the fact that Enoch Valdez and JL Delos Santos were selected in the second round. With that said, I did hate the fact that Warren Bonifacio fell to 55 and AJ Benson as well as current San Sebastian Stag Romel Calahat were left undrafted.
I mean… how can you not draft Calahat if he’s the guy who’s going to run the show in San Sebastian? In some ways, I get why Bonifacio fell in that spot and it’s probably because of Mapua’s lackluster Season 98 showing. But Calahat coming away empty-handed is just ridiculous.
And what about the Letran guys? I was right about Fran Yu going to Northport but I didn’t expect him to become the 40th pick of the draft. And to cause some intrigue, did you see his interaction with Bonnie Tan on the stage? I bet when they told him that they’d draft him, he expected that he’ll be going in the fourth round. Also, what the hell happened to King Caralipio? He is the reigning NCAA Finals MVP and is part of their Mythical 5! Calahat is also part of Season 98’s All-Defensive Team!
WHAT THE HELL?!?
I don’t know if it was Charles Tiu or Topex Robinson but one of them said that the UAAP is the premier league. I guess, this statement is right – especially since they are airing the UAAP games on the same channel as the PBA. However, this is why we need to advertise the hell out of the league – with the players at the forefront.
Anyway, here are the players and where they ended up. I am also going to create a winners and losers blog as well as a blog for the undrafted players.
FIRST ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | TERRAFIRMA | 1 | STEPHEN HOLT | SAINT MARY'S CA |
2 | BLACKWATER | 1 | CHRISTIAN DAVID | BUTLER |
3 | RAIN OR SHINE | 1 | LUIS VILLEGAS | UE UAAP 85 - MYTHICAL 5 |
4 | RAIN OR SHINE | 2 | KEITH DATU | CHICO ST |
5 | NORTHPORT | 1 | ZAVIER LUCERO | UP UAAP 84 - MYTHICAL 5 |
6 | PHOENIX | 1 | KEN TUFFIN | FEU |
7 | NLEX | 1 | RICHARD RODGER | UE |
8 | MERALCO | 1 | BRANDON BATES | DLSU |
9 | CONVERGE | 1 | SCHONNY WINSTON | DLSU |
10 | CONVERGE | 2 | BJ ANDRADE | ATENEO |
11 | NORTHPORT | 2 | CADE FLORES | ARELLANO NCAA 98 - MYTHICAL 5 NCAA 98 - ROOKIE OF THE YEAR NCAA 98 - ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM |
12 | TERRAFIRMA | 2 | TJ MILLER | WESTMINSTER |
SECOND ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
13 | TERRAFIRMA | 3 | KEMARK CARINO | SAN BEDA |
14 | CONVERGE | 3 | BRYAN SANTOS | UST |
15 | RAIN OR SHINE | 3 | HENRY GALINATO | UP |
16 | PHOENIX | 2 | RAFFY VERANO | ATENEO |
17 | PHOENIX | 3 | RICCI RIVERO | UP |
18 | NLEX | 2 | ENOCH VALDEZ | LYCEUM |
19 | CONVERGE | 4 | JL DELOS SANTOS | JRU |
20 | BLACKWATER | 2 | JAMES KWEKUTEYE | SAN BEDA NCAA 95 - MYTHICAL 5 NCAA 98 - MYTHICAL 5 |
21 | NLEX | 3 | JM NERMAL | WEST NEGROS U |
22 | TERRAFIRMA | 4 | LOUIE SANGALANG | LETRAN |
23 | GINEBRA | 1 | RALPH CU | DLSU |
24 | RAIN OR SHINE | 4 | ADRIAN NOCUM | MAPUA |
THIRD ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
25 | TERRAFIRMA | 5 | JB BAHIO | SAN BEDA NCAA 98 - MYTHICAL 5 NCAA 98 - ALL-DEFENSIVE TEAM |
26 | BLACKWATER | 3 | CLIFF JOPIA | SAN BEDA |
27 | RAIN OR SHINE | 5 | SHERWIN CONCEPCION | UST |
28 | PHOENIX | 4 | MATTHEW DAVES | ATENEO |
29 | NORTHPORT | 3 | BRENT PARAISO | LETRAN |
30 | NLEX | 4 | DOMINICK FAJARDO | BULACAN ST |
31 | CONVERGE | 5 | INAND FORNILOS | ATENEO |
32 | MERALCO | 2 | JOLO MENDOZA | ATENEO |
XX | TNT | 0 | PASS |
33 | MAGNOLIA | 1 | PATRICK MAAGDENBERG | ATENEO |
34 | GINEBRA | 2 | KIM AURIN | PERPETUAL |
35 | SAN MIGUEL | 1 | TROY MALLILLIN | ATENEO |
FOURTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
36 | TERRAFIRMA | 6 | TOMMY OLIVARIO | LETRAN |
37 | BLACKWATER | 4 | ARCHIE CONCEPCION | ARELLANO |
38 | RAIN OR SHINE | 6 | JC CULLAR | BENILDE |
39 | PHOENIX | 5 | JOHN LLOYD CLEMENTE | NU |
40 | NORTHPORT | 4 | FRAN YU | LETRAN NCAA 95 | FINALS MVP NCAA 95 | MOST IMPROVED PLAYER |
41 | NLEX | 5 | FRANCIS GUISSANI | ENDERUN |
42 | CONVERGE | 6 | KING CARALIPIO | LETRAN NCAA 98 | MYTHICAL 5 NCAA 98 | FINALS MVP |
43 | MERALCO | 3 | ZACHARY HUANG | UST |
44 | MAGNOLIA | 2 | REY PERALTA | PERPETUAL |
45 | GINEBRA | 3 | FRANZ ABUDA | SAN BEDA |
46 | SAN MIGUEL | 2 | JAYSON APOLONIO | LETRAN |
FIFTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
47 | TERRAFIRMA | 7 | DAMIE CUNTAPAY | SAN BEDA |
48 | BLACKWATER | 5 | DARIEL BAYLA | ARELLANO |
49 | RAIN OR SHINE | 7 | LARRY ARPIA | SAN SEBASTIAN |
50 | PHOENIX | 6 | DANIEL ATIENZA | CEU |
51 | NORTHPORT | 5 | JOHN AMORES | JRU |
52 | NLEX | 6 | RENZO NAVARRO | LPU |
53 | CONVERGE | 7 | RHINWIL YAMBING | SAN SEBASTIAN |
54 | MERALCO | 4 | JESSIE SUMODA | SAN SEBASTIAN |
55 | MAGNOLIA | 3 | WARREN BONIFACIO | MAPUA |
56 | GINEBRA | 4 | BRANDREY BIENES | FEU |
57 | SAN MIGUEL | 3 | ICHIE ALTAMIRANO | SAN SEBASTIAN |
SIXTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
58 | TERRAFIRMA | 8 | KENNETH VILLAPANDO | SAN SEBASTIAN |
59 | PHOENIX | 7 | JOE GOMEZ DE LIANO | UP |
60 | NORTHPORT | 6 | JAN SOBREVEGA | UE |
61 | CONVERGE | 8 | KAMRON FLEMING | BETHESDA |
62 | MERALCO | 5 | SHEAN JACKSON | CHEYANNE HS |
63 | MAGNOLIA | 4 | CHRISTIAN BUNAG | MAPUA |
64 | SAN MIGUEL | 4 | JBOY GOB | UP |
SEVENTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
65 | TERRAFIRMA | 9 | JERIC PIDO | MAPUA |
66 | PHOENIX | 8 | THEO FLORES | NU |
67 | NORTHPORT | 7 | IAN HERRERA | UST |
68 | CONVERGE | 9 | RAYMOND BINUYA | SAN SEBASTIAN |
69 | SAN MIGUEL | 5 | JAYVEE DELA CRUZ | U OF CEBU |
EIGHTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
70 | TERRAFIRMA | 10 | ENRIQUE CAUNAN | UST |
71 | NORTHPORT | 8 | JOHNNEL BAUZON | DILIMAN COL |
72 | CONVERGE | 10 | MJ GARCIA | SYSTEMS PLUS COL |
73 | SAN MIGUEL | 6 | JAMEL RAMOS | REED HS |
NINTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
74 | NORTHPORT | 9 | JOEMARI LACASTESANTOS | LYCEUM |
75 | CONVERGE | 11 | ANDREE FLORES | ATENEO |
76 | SAN MIGUEL | 7 | KYT JIMENEZ | PERPETUAL |
TENTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
77 | NORTHPORT | 10 | NIKKO PARANADA | UE |
78 | CONVERGE | 12 | JONATHAN DEL ROSARIO | AMANDO COPE COL |
ELEVENTH ROUND
PICK | TEAM | # | PLAYER |
|---|---|---|---|
79 | NORTHPORT | 11 | REGIE BOY BASIBAS | UST |
TEAM DRAFT RESULTS
TEAM | PICKS | HIGHEST | LOWEST |
CONVERGE | 12 | 9 - WINSTON | 78 - DEL ROSARIO |
NORTHPORT | 11 | 5 - LUCERO | 79 - BASIBAS |
TERRAFIRMA | 10 | 1 - HOLT | 70 - CAUNAN |
PHOENIX | 8 | 6 - TUFFIN | 66 - FLORES |
RAIN OR SHINE | 7 | 3 - VILLEGAS | 49 - ARPIA |
SAN MIGUEL | 7 | 35 - MALLILLIN | 76 - JIMENEZ |
NLEX | 6 | 7 - RODGER | 52 - NAVARRO |
BLACKWATER | 5 | 2 - DAVID | 48 - BAYLA |
MERALCO | 5 | 8 - BATES | 62 - JACKSON |
GINEBRA | 4 | 23 - CU | 56 - BIENES |
MAGNOLIA | 4 | 33 - MAAGDENBERG | 63 - BUNAG |
TNT | 0 | N/A | N/A |