Terrafirma makes Holt top PBA Draft pick

(Updated, 10:43 p.m.) MANILA, Philippines -- As expected, Stephen Holt is the No. 1 pick of this year’s PBA Draft.

The 31-year-old Holt, a 6-foot-4 guard, was selected with the first overall pick by the Terrafirma Dyip in the Draft Sunday at the Market! Market! in Taguig. 

The Filipino-American combo guard is the consensus top pick in the 124-man-deep draft class.

Holt, however, was not present in Sunday's ceremony.

“[This is] definitely one of the goals of my career, to play in the PBA,” Holt said in an interview with the draft hosts via Zoom.

He said he will be bringing his two-way prowess to the fold of the Terrafirma.

Holt is a well-traveled basketball player.

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft following four years with the Saint Mary’s Gaels in America, Holt joined the Atlanta Hawks for the 2014 NBA Summer League.

He then had stints in the NBA G-League, National Basketball League, Liga ACB, Polish Basketball League, VTB United League, ABA League and Liga Nationala.

Holt is expected to be one of the main cogs for Terrafirma, as the team placed last in the PBA Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup.

Following him as the second overall pick was Christian David.

The 6-foot-6 David was drafted by the Blackwater Bossing.

Rain or Shine selected 6-foot-7 Luis Villegas and 6-foot-8 Keith Datu with their third and fourth picks, respectively, completing a very tall frontline. 

The Northport Batang Pier selected former UP Fighting Maroon Zavier Lucero with the fifth overall pick. 

The 6-foot-7 Lucero's athleticism is expected to greatly help the Batang Pier.

Former FEU Tamaraw Kenneth Tuffin was selected by the Phoenix Super LPG Fuelmasters.

The lefty sharpshooter also played professional basketball in New Zealand.