MVP Group teams TNT and Meralco made splashes last week by signing two of the biggest sharks not in the PBA for their respective 3×3 teams.
Tropang Giga 3×3 signed Jeremiah Gray, while Meralco 3×3 inked Jason Brickman to one-year deals.
But what about NLEX?
Well, NLEX head coach and general manager Yeng Guiao assured that the players who won’t make the 5v5 Road Warriors will be part of NL3X.
“Whoever does not make our 15-man lineup will be part of our 3×3 team,” Guiao shared to Tiebreaker Times.
NLEX currently has 19 live contracts in its stash.
Entering the off-season, only Anthony Semerad and Mike Ayonayon were still on NLEX’s ledger.
Kiefer Ravena and Kevin Alas received three-year, maximum contracts.
Jericho Cruz, JR Quinahan, Raul Soyud, Mike Miranda, and Kenneth Ighalo. Meanwhile, Kris Porter, Paul Varilla, Will McAloney, Kyles Lao, AC Soberano, and Philip Paniamogan also received extensions.
Then three days before the 2021 PBA Rookie Draft, NLEX traded its fourth pick to Blackwater to net Don Trollano, Roi Sumang, and Maurice Shaw.
Though NLEX drafted six players in the past draft, sources have told Tiebreaker Times that only Calvin Oftana (3rd pick) and David Murrell (20th) were invited to join the team’s practices. Junjun Bonsubre (28th), Joe Presbitero (39th), Joseph Alcantara (49th), and Alberto Torres (57th) were the other players selected by the Road Warriors.
And with FIBA 3×3 rules allowing six players for one team, it assures that all 21 Road Warriors will see action in Season 46 in one way or another.
