Gemma Miranda leads the 177 players who will take part in the first-ever WNBL Draft Combine slated next month.
Miranda was among the 702 women ballers who applied for the historic inaugural draft of the women’s professional basketball league.
The screening committee then evaluated applicants from all over the country, trimming down the number of aspirants to 177.
“We filtered the players by the years they played on and their character reference,” said tournament commissioner Bujoy Magno during So She Did!
“Siyempre, we looked at age also, and if they are willing to travel to Pampanga for the combine,” added NBL director of basketball operations Edward Aquino.
Miranda suited up as a guest player in the PSI Lady Air Defenders in the first season of the WNBL as an amateur league last year. The national team standout eventually became the finals MVP.
Other notable names who made it to the draft are UAAP Season 82 Finals MVP Monique Del Carmen, and former UAAP MVPs Marichu Bacaro, Camille Sambile, and Raiza Dy. Clarissa Lanuza, Fille Claudine Cainglet, Camille Claro, Jocy Positos, Camille Ramos, AJ Gloriani, Marites Gadian, Tina Deacon, and Snow Penaranda also made it to the list.
The eldest in the group is 38-year-old Marites Gadian.
After the evaluation process, the draftees will be able to showcase their talents to the teams during the WNBL Draft Combine to be held at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in San Fernando, Pampanga. The dates are still being finalized.
Each team that already saw action in the WNBL last year has the privilege to protect six players from their original roster. Players from the Armed Forces, meanwhile, must only submit their rosters to the league provided that they are enlisted for a minimum of one year.
Watch the entire draft reveal here:
