The Blackwater Elite already know who they will pick in the special Gilas Draft of the 2016 PBA Rookie Draft.
According to the team’s head coach Leo Isaac, they are set to selected UAAP Season 78 Men’s Basketball Finals most valuable player.
“Sa Gilas, naka-lock na kami, Mac Belo,” the mentor said Thursday afternoon during the Draft Combine held at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong City.
However, it gets tricky for the team once the Regular Draft rolls round. Isaac shared that the team’s officials have yet to make a decision on who to get as the top overall pick.
“Sa regular draft, dun kami magdedesisyon [pa],” he shared. “Magkakaroon kami ng meeting with Blackwater team officials. Gusto kong madinig yung opinion nila regarding sa magiging desisyon namin sa pagpili sa draft day. So magandang madinig yung opinion nila. Mas magiging maganda yung decision namin kung maraming ulo gumagana.”
The main variable the team is looking at is how their pick can balance out their team’s composition.
“Depende sa pangangailangan, kailangan i-evaluate namin maigi kung anong pwesto ang kailangan. Kailangan balanse. Depende sa puwesto at best talent available,” the 55-year-old said.
“Yung Jammer Jamito, yung [Joseph] Eriobu, maganda yung kinilos nila para sa big guys na andito ngayon pero ang iisipin mo lang makaka-compete kaya sila sa mga big guys sa PBA?
“Si Jonathan Grey maganda pinakita, yung anak ni coach Joel Banal [Ael Banal] maganda rin ang pinakita. Medyo mahaba habang usapan ito. Meron pang ibang araw bago magdrafting. Mahaba pa ang araw para mag desisyon.”
However, Isaac was particularly impressed with power forward Jam Jamito, who played for St. Clare University in NAASCU and the AMA Online Education Titans during the 2016 PBA Foundation Cup.
“Brusko e. Parang nung nag-uumpisa yung mga Vic Manuel. Sagasa lang ng sagasa. Siguro kaunting seasoning baka maging magaling na manlalaro din ito,” he remarked.
But everything is still up in the air for the Elite as they are inviting all their prospects to work out with them tomorrow.
