Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Another Gilas draft likely to take place in 2021, says SBP boss ASP


For the second straight year and third time in PBA history, a special Gilas draft will likely take place in the 2021 edition of the PBA rookie festivities.

According to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas chief Al Panlilio, it’s part of the commitment the PBA has with Gilas Pilipinas for the build-up to the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

“That was the agreement. I think every draft now, they will give the SBP a crack at certain players that we want to put in the pool,” Panlilio told Sports Page.

2019-PBA-Draft Another Gilas draft likely to take place in 2021, says SBP boss ASP Basketball Gilas Pilipinas News PBA  - philippine sports news

Last season, the quintet of Isaac Go, Rey Suerte, Allyn Bulanadi, and the Nieto twins were drafted first. Top pick Go was selected by Terra Firma, Suerte went to Blackwater, Matt was picked by NLEX, Bulanadi headed to Alaska, while Mike was taken by Rain or Shine.

2016-PBA-Draft Another Gilas draft likely to take place in 2021, says SBP boss ASP Basketball Gilas Pilipinas News PBA  - philippine sports news

Photo by PBA Images

The year 2016, on the other hand, saw Mac Belo, Jio Jalalon, Matthew Wright, Russel Escoto, Von Pessumal, Fonzo Gotladera, Arnold Van Opstal, Ed Daquioag, Roger Pogoy, Mike Tolomia, Kevin Ferrer, Carl Cruz, and Von Pessumal get drafted.

The drafting of Gilas cadets is separate from the regular draft proper.

Salaries of the Gilas pool members are split by both the federation and their mother teams for a certain amount of time.

But with Gilas already having five players in its pool, Panlilio revealed that it might be forced to send some of the original five back to their PBA teams.

We can only manage a certain number of players.

“As we enter the next draft, if we pick three, four, five players, then most probably we’ll have to ask some of the players to go back to the PBA now and play for their mother teams. The arrangement, really, was for them to have a mother team, that’s why the drafting was done. So when the SBP is ready to release them, they would know where to go, which PBA team they would go to. So that would continue,” said the amiable executive, who is also the governor of Meralco.

#ReadMore  PBA: RHJ-Yeng spat overshadows Rain or Shine's big win over TNT

All this is not yet final, however, as the league’s board of governors are meeting on Thursday to discuss the upcoming rookie draft.

“We only had one conference this year, so I don’t know what commissioner Willie Marcial will be recommending to the board. I’m looking forward to having that discussion.”

From the Gilas cadets that competed during the Manama window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, those eligible to enter the draft include UP’s Jaydee Tungcab, Javi and Juan Gomez de Liaño, and Kobe Paras; Ateneo’s William Navarro; San Beda’s Calvin Oftana; and La Salle’s Justine Baltazar.

Owning the top four picks in the upcoming draft are Terra Firma, Northport, Blackwater, and NLEX, in that order. Despite trading their regular pick to NLEX, Blackwater will still be eligible to pick in the Gilas draft.

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

All NorthPort needed to do to regain confidence was to get one against Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday evening. The PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup...

Basketball

NorthPort avoided a sweep with a hard-fought 108-103 victory over Barangay Ginebra in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, Wednesday...

Basketball

Jamie Malonzo played his best game since returning as Ginebra moved one win away from sweeping NorthPort following a dominant 127-100 victory in Game...

Basketball

Ginebra moved halfway through in finishing NorthPort after another dominant victory, 119-106, to seize Game 2 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal...

Basketball

Arvin Tolentino could only concede how much experience played a factor after NorthPort failed to upset Barangay Ginebra as the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s...

Basketball

Ginebra debunked the notion that fatigue could be a cause of concern coming into the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. Members of the...

Basketball

Starhorse Shipping Lines and Terrafirma have agreed in principle to a full acquisition of the latter’s PBA franchise — lock, stock, and barrel. The...

Basketball

NorthPort guard Fran Yu found himself at the center of an altercation in Barangay 350, Sta. Cruz, Manila, on Tuesday afternoon, after a disagreement...

Advertisement