The 2024 PBA Draft came and went, with the league welcoming the future superstars and those happy to just have their names called. The top stars from the UAAP, NCAA, other collegiate leagues, MPBL, Filbasket, PSL, and others – here and abroad – are either hooked onsite or online to have their names called.
Of the 67 hopefuls, 48 names were called.
And of the 12 PBA teams, there are winners and losers.
This time though, I am just going to rate the teams according to what they got. Some teams lost even before the draft started like TNT, but some teams missed out on talents at least one or two go-arounds.
The game starts now.
12 | TNT TROPANG GIGA
31 | JARED BROWN
41 | MARK NEIL CRUZ
For the second straight year, TNT is at the bottom. However, TNT was able to obtain Henry Galinato via trade and Kim Aurin via free agency. Anyway, it’s hard to rate TNT’s chances since they already had a third-round handicap. I think Jared Brown has second-round value, but it’s not like they solve their needs in the draft. I expect TNT to check out some of the undrafted players (*cough* Jielo Razon cough) because when they pursued Rey Nambatac, the Tropa will need to trade one of their valued players for the trade to push through. I bet Chot Reyes misses the years when he used the great Ali Peek as a backup center because back then, the TNT squad was stacked.
11 | MAGNOLIA HOTSHOTS
9 | JEROM LASTIMOSA
33 | RV BERJAY
42 | RY DELA ROSA
Jerom Lastimosa will be the second Lastimosa to spend his rookie year with the squad. But while his uncle was an automatic starter, the Adamson star will have to try hard to crack a big chunk of minutes. That said, Jerom addresses Magnolia’s need to have a better scoring option at the SF spot. Meanwhile, I can see RV Berjay getting a Samboy De Leon or a Keith Zaldivar-type of playing time, and I guess their other second-generation pick, Ry Dela Rosa can be a practice player.
10 | SAN MIGUEL BEERMEN
12 | AVAN NAVA
36 | ABDUL SAWAT
44 | RALPH ROBIN
Avan Nava is a player that San Miguel can use. The former KBL campaigner will be a good pickup at the PG spot with Chris Ross slowly transitioning to a bench role and with Terrence Romeo and Simon Enciso also in their 30s. Hell, one could even say that he is a steal at the twelfth spot. Abdul Sawat might have Troy Mallillin’s minutes, as San Miguel rarely plays their third-round rookies, and I hope Ralph Robin gets to play for the squad as he is one of the positives to EAC’s disappointing Season 99 run.
9 | TERRAFIRMA DYIP
10 | MARK NONOY
15 | CJ CATAPUSAN
27 | PETER ALFARO
The July 13 trade has Terrafirma walking away with Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and Mark Nonoy? Again, the trade favors Ginebra, but it’s not as lopsided as people think it would be. Nonoy can be a good player off the bench for a team that has Gelo Alolino as their seventh-best scorer. That said, Terrafirma could have gotten CJ Catapusan in the third round, especially with Ben Phillips and Brandon Ramirez still available. I don’t know if Catapusan's frame is good enough to bang bodies with JMF, Beau Belga, and Raymond Almazan. At least they got Peter Alfaro in the third round. The San Beda guard had a bad final year despite re-claiming the championship because he played backup to Jacob Cortez. He had a good PBA On Tour showing though.
8 | BLACKWATER BOSSING
2 | SEDRICK BAREFIELD
26 | DJ MITCHELL
37 | KEITH PIDO
I guess Blackwater automatically won the draft because they selected Sedrick Barefield. However, their post-Barefield picks aren’t as good. Yes, DJ Mitchell going to the third round is a gift, but after Keith Pido, they could have gotten more players. Also, all of a sudden there are talks that Barefield allegedly doesn’t like to play for Blackwater. I mean, I get this, because Blackwater is notorious for its farm team status. But barring the conspiracy theories, Barefield is just what the team needs, and hopefully, he can replicate what Stephen Holt did in Terrafirma. I am excited about a possible Sedrick Barefield and James Kwekuteye SG/SF team-up.
7 | BARANGAY GINEBRA KINGS
3 | RJ ABARRIENTOS
17 | DIDAT HANAPI
22 | PAOLO HERNANDEZ
34 | PAUL GARCIA
I am a fan of Paolo Hernandez’s playing style but the Ginebra draft revolved around RJ Abarrientos. Again, Tim Cone chose the former FEU Tamaraw because he might like to play in Gilas Pilipinas, just like Isaac Go. For Ginebra, he’s probably the heir apparent to LA Tenorio’s minutes, with Scottie Thompson possibly sliding to the shooting guard spot like what he did in college and at the start of his PBA career. That said, Didat Hanapi was a pick outta nowhere. Again, I am a fan of Hernandez’ gameplay and just in case Aljon Mariano is still injured, the Mapua star can ably fill in. Paul Garcia can try to crack the squad but I doubt if Ginebra will sign all four of their picks.
6 | RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS
7 | CAELAN TIONGSON
8 | FELIX LEMETTI
13 | FRANCIS ESCANDOR
16 | MIKE MALONZO
20 | MIGGY CORTEZA
32 | DARWISH BEDERI
Just because a team has six picks in the first three rounds doesn’t mean that they have automatically won the draft. Again, Rain or Shine’s current roster is young and rabid for recognition. That is why it makes sense to select an old rookie like Caelan Tiongson. Felix Lemetti is a shock pick in the first round while Mike Malonzo is a shock pick in the second round. Francis Escandor and Miggy Corteza are possible steals, especially Corteza who was once upon a time the Benilde Blazers’ do-it-all utility guy. Darwish Bederi is a reach to play in the PBA, but at least Yeng Guiao is the coach and he might like his gameplay just like how he liked fellow UP alum Raul Soyud.
5 | PHOENIX FUEL MASTERS
4 | KAI BALLUNGAY
28 | CJ PAYAWAL
38 | SIDNEY MOSQUEDA
45 | PATRICK FELICIANO
Like Blackwater, I thought Phoenix could have spammed the free resources given to them. I guess if this was the 2023 PBA Draft, they could, but I wished they could have taken more players. That said, Kai Ballungay is going to be the other scoring threat that they desperately need. His offense is going to make the team more balanced, especially with the return of Tyler Tio, who is also an Atenean just like Raffy Verano. I thought CJ Payawal was also a good pick in the third round. Sidney Mosqueda and Patrick Feliciano have played in numerous tourneys, and have a chance to crack the lineup because of Phoenix’s current talent situation.
4 | MERALCO BOLTS
11 | CJ CANSINO
23 | KURT REYSON
35 | JP MAGULIANO
43 | JORDAN BARTLETT
Meralco lucked out in the draft and the players in some ways, lucked out as well. The Bolts use their picks well, as seen with their championship squad. CJ Cansino and Kurt Reyson are shock picks because they should have been picked higher. Cansino was ballin’ in the UAAP before he got injured and Kurt Reyson was channeling James Yap, especially during Letran’s dominating championship runs. I felt Reyson’s stock fell when Letran had a bad Season 99, but he has been doing well in the MPBL. As for JP Maguliano, he has been the heart and soul of EAC’s frontline for some time now, and he could be a project if Meralco decides to sign him. The same can be said with Jordan Bartlett, who had a strong showing in the draft combine.
3 | NLEX ROAD WARRIORS
6 | JONNEL POLICARPIO
18 | BRANDON RAMIREZ
30 | XYRUS TORRES
40 | DENZEL WONG
47 | ADRIAN PARTOSA
The NLEX Road Warriors came to the draft with only Robert Bolick averaging in double digits last season. Kevin Alas is set to return and I guess Enoch Valdez is bound for a breakout year. But let’s focus on the draft because I thought they killed it with the Jonnel Policarpio, Brandon Ramirez, and Xyrus Torres picks. I get that Policarpio is the next best pick after the East Asian players and Kai Ballungay, but getting Ramirez and Torres is just insane for NLEX. Policarpio and Ramirez address NLEX’s big man problem and Torres can be a good sharpshooter off the bench. Denzel Wong and Adrian Partosa are deep picks, but they might surprise everyone and make the squad.
2 | NORTHPORT BATANG PIER
5 | DAVE ILDEFONSO
14 | EVAN NELLE
29 | AGEM MIRANDA
39 | JOHN UDUBA
46 | GERMY MAHINAY
48 | ROBBI DARANG
Like NLEX, Northport did well in the draft. Dave Ildefonso is the right player to select because he solves the void left by JM Calma, who is currently nursing an ACL. The quartet of Ildefonso, Zav Lucero, Cade Flores, and Arvin Tolentino is hella scary. And then there’s Evan Nelle. WHY ON EARTH is he a second-round draft pick? Nelle is also a good pick and can share minutes with Fran Yu and Kris Rosales at the PG spot. Agem Miranda was a key utility guy for JRU but I don’t know if he, John Uduba, Germy Mahinay, and Robbi Darang can crack Bonnie Tan’s very young team. And yeah, Northport drafted John Amores in 2023, and now Mahinay in 2024. Northport is like a wonderful place for second chances.
1 | CONVERGE FIBERXERS
1 | JUSTINE BALTAZAR
19 | PAO JAVILLONAR
21 | BEN PHILLIPS
24 | JASON CREDO
25 | RONAN SANTOS
This was Converge’s win after tanking the 2023-24 PBA season. They can lie about second-guessing Baltazar but I am not surprised if he hasn’t had a Converge practice jersey as early as last week. The Justine and Justin era in Converge is going to be a step in the right direction for the squad, and it helped that Aldin Ayo knew what he was doing when he took five big men in the draft. Despite the Letran misstep last season, Pao Javillonar is bar none an energy magnet. While I wanted him to go to Terrafirma to play alongside Mark Louie Sangalang, his no-nonsense style gives the Fiberxers a positive wildcard in their team. Getting Ben Phillips at 21 is a shocker though. I don’t know why he fell at 21, but I feel either he or Jason Credo could be a TNT deal in the foreseeable future. Ronan Santos is going to be a good pick as well, even as a project.
Except for TNT, I thought all teams had a key acquisition in the draft. Whether it's a go-to guy like what Converge and Blackwater got, a starter like what Ginebra, Northport, Phoenix, and NLEX obtained, and a future project like the rest of the teams acquired, hopefully, these players will have a chance to display their skills.
With that said, we are also looking for potential steals. For years, we have been looking for the next Mark Caguioa and perhaps Yeng Guiao knows something about Felix Lemetti that would make Rain or Shine a potential league disruptor.