What to know about D-Day

There will be 20 players chosen in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) draft at the Market! Market! Activity Center in the Fort this afternoon and 27 others in the rookie pool will become unrestricted free agents after two rounds of selection.

Some draft applicants are actually hoping they won’t be picked. Those who won’t be drafted are free to negotiate with teams of their choice.

Those who are picked must come to terms with the teams that chose them or else sit out the season, without pay, and apply for next year’s draft all over again.

So don’t shed tears for the 27 "undesirables." Their consolation is they’ll be able to try out for the teams of their choice, not the other way around.

The D-Day (Draft Day) program starts at 3 p.m. Outgoing PBA chairman Ely Capacio of San Miguel Beer, who coached Purefoods to the 1991 All-Filipino championship, will be given a plaque of appreciation for a job well done during his one-year term. Incoming PBA chairman Ricky Vargas of Talk ‘N’ Text and PBA commissioner Noli Eala will speak about the coming season. And newcomer Welcoat, whose team will be called the Dragons and coached by Leo Austria, will be introduced to the fans via an audiovisual presentation.

Surprise entertainment numbers by big showbiz stars are also in the afternoon bill.

The list of draft eligibles is down from 55 to 47. Struck out was 5-7 Chris Apaitan of Maguindanao, a no-show in the rookie camp. Apaitan, 29, begged for a chance to be included in the draft and with tears in his eyes, submitted his application at the PBA office after a verbal tussle with security guards who couldn’t believe he was a rookie applicant, judging from the size of his stomach.

Withdrawing from the original cast were Philippine Basketball League MVP Joe Devance of the University of Texas at El Paso, former PBA cager Eric Reyes’ nephew Robbie, Alex Davin who has played for the City College of New York and in Norway (he’ll try his luck in Europe instead) and 6-5 University of the East center Angel Raymundo (no relation to Kerby although they look alike).

Jun-Jun Cabatu, Jay-R Reyes and Jay Sagad were also scratched from the roster after they were selected by Welcoat as direct-hires from the rookie pool as a concession to the expansion franchise.

* * *

The drafting order in the first round is as follows: Sta. Lucia Realty, Air21, Coca-Cola (the slot may still be given to San Miguel to complete a previous three-way trade with Air21 involving Dale Singson and Gary David), San Miguel (acquired from Air21), San Miguel, Sta. Lucia (acquired from Ginebra), Alaska, Talk ‘N’ Text (acquired from Alaska via Red Bull in the Rich Alvarez trade), Purefoods and Welcoat.

The second round order is as follows: Welcoat, Coca-Cola (acquired from Talk ‘N’ Text), Sta. Lucia, Coca-Cola, Air21, Coca-Cola (acquired from Ginebra via San Miguel), Coca-Cola (acquired from Ginebra), Alaska, Red Bull and Purefoods.

Unless a trade is consummated before the draft, Ginebra will not pick at all in both rounds. However, the Kings managed to shake up their lineup in the offseason by trading for Rafi Reavis, Billy Mamaril and Rudy Hatfield’s rights while giving up Kalani Ferreria, Aris Dimaunahan, Ervin Sotto and Manny Ramos.

If Coca-Cola decides to use its first round pick, the Tigers may end up with five choices overall—including four in the second round.

* * *

Of the 46 players who attended the recent rookie camp, the tallest was 6-7 3/16 Mark Andaya and the shortest was 5-5 3/4 Boyet Bautista. Only six players were measured at least 6-4–Andaya, 6-6 1/2 Reyes, 6-5 Philip Butel, 6-4 1/4 Michael Gavino, 6-4 Gabby Espinas and 6-4 Cabatu.

The heaviest was 250-pound Gavino. Aside from Gavino, five tipped the scales at over 220 pounds–Cabatu, Ariel de Castro, Sagad, Andaya and Ferdinand Daa.

Standing less than six feet were 18 rookies, including Joseph Yeo.

Six players boasted of wingspans of at least 200 inches–Andaya, Butel, Espinas, Rodel Mallari, Reyes and Arwind Santos.

Topping the list with 52 uninterrupted pushups were Don Dulay and Ronnie Bughao. Aaron Aban had the highest vertical leap at 11 feet and three inches with Mark Isip close behind at 11-1. Five players had at least 27 repetitions in the bench press–Christian Gutierrez (33), Harold Sta. Cruz (29), Gavino (29), Dulay (27) and Frederick Rodriguez (27).

Only nine players posted at least 10 straight pull-ups with Gutierrez notching 22 and Bughao 15 to lead the pack.

Arwind Santos, L. A. Tenorio, Kelly Williams and Yeo skipped the rookie camp because they were recruited for the national team that played in Qatar.

* * *

Among the 47 applicants, 10 indicated in their resumes they’re married, namely, Espinas, Sagad, Sta. Cruz, Paul Reguera, Rodriguez, Erlan Daja, Manuel Caceres, Mallari, Alfie Grijaldo and Bob Cozy (not Cousy) Ilanga. Four players–Arwind Santos, Chris Pacana, Ryan Rizada and Erwin Sta. Maria–did not fill in the blank for civil status.

One player, Orvie Vidad, wrote "Filipino" under civil status. Vidad was born here but was raised and played hoops in England. His Filipino parents are both British citizens.

Letran is the No. 1 school with the most rookie applicants at eight–Jonathan Aldave, John Alcaraz, Sta. Cruz, Bautista, Aban, Andaya, Rodriguez and Ronjay Enrile. The University of the Philippines is next with four, namely, Jireh Ibanez, Abby Santos, Gavino and Reyes.

Four applicants were born in the US–Williams (the only rookie with NCAA Division I credentials, he played at Oakland University in Michigan), Pacana, Dulay and Christian Luanzon. And eight have played for schools or clubs overseas–Mark Magsumbol for the American Basketball Association team San Jose Skyrockets, Williams, Pacana, Glenn Perseveranda (Solano College in Suisun, California), Vidad, Dulay, Reguera (Indonesia) and Gutierrez.

Shoo-ins for the draft include Williams, Arwind Santos, Tenorio, Yeo, Isip, and Espinas. Darkhorse picks are Dulay, Pacana, Magsumbol, Abby Santos, Rizada, Andaya, Bughao, Chico Lanete, Bautista, Enrile, Robert Sanz and Aban.