Continuing its rebuild for the future, Rain or Shine bolstered its frontline.
Luis Villegas was the first of two picks made by the Elasto Painters in the first round of the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft.
Villegas, aged 25, stands at 6-foot-7 and is a product of Cal State Stanislaus and the University of the East.
During his two years at Stanislaus, Villegas averaged 8.10 points, 4.83 rebounds, 1.43 assists, and 1.24 steals in 42 games played.
Meanwhile, he made a strong impression during his one year with the Red Warriors, posting averages of 13.14 points, 8.07 rebounds, 3.79 assists, and 1.93 steals per game.
Unfortunately, Villegas will miss almost the entirety of PBA Season 48 after sustaining an ACL injury last March during a practice with TNT 3×3.
Meanwhile, the Elasto Painters secured another big man with their second pick in the round, choosing Keith Datu as the fourth overall selection.
Datu, who stands at 6-foot-7, spent four years at Chico State, where he averaged 1.43 points and 1.40 assists in 47 games played.
Afterward, he joined J&T Express and, subsequently, Wilcon Depot in PBA 3×3 competition.
Datu also competed for Sta. Rosa in the Pilipinas Super League.
