Terrafirma is keeping its cards close to its chest as it has yet to announce its top pick in the Philippine Basketball Association Annual Rookie Draft on 17 September at Market! Market! in Taguig City.
Blackwater team owner Dioceldo Sy admitted that they can’t plot their draft moves because the Dyip has yet to make public its decision on the top overall pick.
The Dyip has a history of trading away their top picks like CJ Perez in 2018 Roosevelt Adams in 2019 and Joshua Munzon in 2020.
They also had the top pick in 2017 when they were still known as KIA. The Dyip, however, traded the pick to San Miguel Beer for JR Reyes, Rashawn McCarthy, Keith Agovida, a future first rounder and cash consideration.
The Beermen plucked Christian Standhardinger, who led them to a pair of PBA titles.
But this time, the Dyip has to keep its pick as league commissioner Willie Marcial made it clear that trading the top choice will no longer be allowed.
“We’re still waiting for the full list,” Sy said when asked about their choice.
“A lot of things could happen, but just like everyone, we will be looking for the best man available.”
Last season, the Bossing own the No. 1 pick that they used in getting Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, who became part of the team that redeemed the country’s lost glory in the Southeast Asian Games.
Ganuelas-Rosser, however, got involved in a three-team deal that sent him to NLEX.
Meanwhile, Rain or Shine will utilize its first-round picks in sustaining its young core.
Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao was given assurance by the management that their third and fourth selections will be his to keep.
Guiao was in exactly the same situation two years ago when he was still coaching NLEX, but the management decided to trade the No. 4 pick that TNT Tropang Giga used to secure the services of Filipino-American hotshots Mikey Williams.
Selecting No. 5 is NorthPort, which is moving on from the departure of Robert Bolick to Japan.
Aside from the No. 5 selection, the Batang Pier will also select at seventh, which was part of a previous trade involving Converge.
Phoenix owns the No. 6 while Meralco picks at No. 8.
Converge, which was busy making transactions in the off season, will be picking consecutively at No. 9 and 10, which it obtained from Magnolia in a trade that sent Abu Tratter and David Murrell to the Hotshots.
NorthPort will once again make its selection at No. 11 and the Dyip round out the first round by picking at No. 12.
