The most celebrated University of the Philippines athlete in decades moves on to the next stage of his career.
UP folk hero Paul Desiderio has formally applied for the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft, Friday afternoon at the PBA Office in Pasig City.
Desiderio, a 5-foot-10 combo guard, averaged 13.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in his final year with the Fighting Maroons. More importantly, he was a pivotal figure in UP’s turnaround, which was capped by the end of the school’s 32-year Finals drought in the UAAP Men’s Basketball Tournament.
“Excited. Mixed emotions. ‘Di ko alam kung anong mangyayari. Yung excitement talaga,” shared the 21-year-old.
Besides impressing in the UAAP, Desiderio also made waves in the PBA D-League. He helped lead the Go for Gold Scratchers to the 2018 PBA D-League Foundation Cup.
Desiderio is expected to go in the first round in a draft headlined by CJ Perez, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., and Robert Bolick.
