Just hours before the 2025 PBA Draft, Terrafirma is weighing two options for the top overall pick.
The Dyip could go big with Geo Chiu, or they could opt for a young floor general in Dalph Panopio.
Whoever they choose will heavily influence the rest of the draft, which kicks off at 5 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.
Chiu, standing at 6-foot-9, is considered the big man with the highest ceiling in this year’s class.
“Hindi mawawala ‘yun eh. It’s always there,” said Chiu, who currently plays for MPBL club Abra Solid North.
“But for me naman, like what my parents always tell me, just enjoy it, parang no pressure naman. Like if I add pressure to myself, then it’s not gonna turn out really well,” he added, referring to the possibility of being selected first overall.
“I think it’s real timing eh. Na-swerte po ako, na-chamba, I really feel blessed. It was a family decision. So I think it was just real timing,” said Panopio, a product of NCAA Division I program Cal State-Bakersfield.
“But the PBA is also something I wanted to do and is something I’m really looking forward to.”
This will be the fifth time in the last seven seasons that Terrafirma holds the No. 1 pick.
Locked in at No. 2 is Juan Gomez de Liano, headed to Converge after the FiberXers acquired the pick from Phoenix in a swap involving Bryan Santos.
“I spent about five years overseas, pretty much there’s a lot of experience I gained there na madadala ko dito,” said Gomez de Liano, who previously suited up for Earthfriends Tokyo Z, BC Wolves, and Seoul SK before returning to the Philippines.
“I developed a lot not just as a player but as a person as well. Kinda nagpahinog muna ako in a way, maturity-wise.”
Beyond that, the rest of the draft—with 122 hopefuls—remains unpredictable.
If Chiu goes first, Blackwater is expected to scoop up Panopio at No. 3, followed by Chris Koon to NorthPort and L-Jay Gonzales to NLEX.
But if Panopio gets the nod at No. 1, Blackwater could target Jason Brickman, while Chiu slides to NorthPort and Koon lands with NLEX.
Other notable prospects include Yukien Andrada, Will Gozum, Vince Magbuhos, Christian Manaytay, CJ Austria, Joshua David, Jack Cruz-Dumont, Mark Omega, Tony Ynot, Chris Miller, Cole Micek, Jacey Cruz, and Royce Mantua.
The rest of the first round will see Magnolia, Meralco, Phoenix, San Miguel, Rain or Shine, Ginebra, and Rain or Shine again making their selections in that order.
In the second round, the order goes: Ginebra, Phoenix, Blackwater, NorthPort, NLEX, Terrafirma, Meralco, Rain or Shine, Converge, Rain or Shine, Ginebra, and finally Rain or Shine.
