THE 2024 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Draft night on Sunday was one of the deepest and most crowded selection classes in previous years for the prestigious Asian basketball league.
With 48 players selected at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati, it’s clear that this draft year was stocked with fresh talent who would help the league transition in the coming years.
As the oldest league in Asia witnesses several retirements from former top players, and a reduction in viewership as the number of spectators decreases year after year, there is hope that this batch will bring them back.
Justin Baltazar goes to Converge
Despite being one of the late draft hopefuls, Justine Baltazar, a highly regarded De La Salle University Green Archers draftee, was named Converge’s top pick.
The 6-ft-9 big man has an impressive resume, having been a three-time UAAP Mythical Team member, a Japan B.League player, and the reigning Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) champion and Most Valuable Player.
“Sobrang excited ako sa bagong team na Converge. Gagawin ko lang yung role ko sa team. Sobrang excited din ako maging kakampi si Justin (Arana). Mukhang magiging magandang tandem kaming dalawa,” he said.
However, his debut with the FiberXers may be impeded by his existing MPBL contract with the battling Pampanga Giant Lanterns, and he will be eligible to play for Converge only in December.
First round’s twists and turns
Aside from Baltazar, there were other major names in the draft pool who didn’t go undrafted. Former Oklahoma City Blue Sedrick Barefield was Blackwater’s second overall pick.
RJ Abarrientos, the third overall pick in the Terrafirma trade, unexpectedly rose in the draft boards and will play for Barangay Ginebra under Tim Cone’s system.
Meanwhile, Phoenix drafted Kai Ballungay fourth, NorthPort drafted Dave Ildefonso fifth, NLEX drafted Jonnel Policarpi sixth, and Rain or Shine drafted Caelan Tiongson and Felix Lemmeti seventh and eighth.
Rounding out the first round were Jerom Lastimosa to Magnolia at ninth, Mark Nonoy to Terrafirma at tenth, CJ Cansino to reigning champions Meralco at eleventh, and Avan Nava to San Miguel at twelfth.
Considering how talented the draft pool was, the second round was still stacked with talented players. Here’s the remainder of the PBA Season 49 Draft list:
Second Round
13. Rain or Shine – Francis Escandor
14. NorthPort – Evan Nelle
15. Terrafirma – CJ Catapusan
16. Rain or Shine – Mike Malonzo
17. Barangay Ginebra – Didat Hanapi
18. NLEX – Brandon Ramirez
19. Converge – Pao Javillonar
20. Rain or Shine – Miggy Corteza
21. Converge – Ben Phillips
22. Barangay Ginebra – Pao Hernandez
23. Meralco – Kurt Reyson
24. Converge – Jason Credo
Third Round
25. Converge – Ronan Santos
26. Blackwater – DJ Mitchell
27. Terrafirma – Peter Alfaro
28. Phoenix – CJ Payawal
29. NorthPort – Agem Miranda
30. NLEX – Xyrus Torres
31. TNT – Jared Brown
32. Rain or Shine – Darwish Bederi
33. Magnolia – RV Berjay
34. Barangay Ginebra – Paul Garcia
35. Meralco – JP Maguliano
36. San Miguel – Abdul Sawat
Fourth Round
37. Converge – Pass
38. Blackwater – Keith Pido
39. Terrafirma – Pass
40. Phoenix – Chino Mosqueda
41. NorthPort – John Uduba
42. NLEX – Denzel Wong
43. TNT – Mark Niel Cruz
44. Rain or Shine – Pass
45. Magnolia – Ry Dela Rosa
46. Barangay Ginebra – Pass
47. Meralco – Jordan Bartlett
48. San Miguel – Ralph Robin
Fifth Round
49. Converge – Pass
50. Blackwater – Pass
51. Terrafirma – Pass
52. Phoenix – Patrick Feliciano
53. NorthPort – Germy Mahinay
54. NLEX – Adrian Partosa
55. TNT – Pass
56. Rain or Shine – Pass
57. Magnolia – Pass
58. Barangay Ginebra – Pass
59. Meralco – Pass
60. San Miguel – Pass
