It’s D-Day for 122 PBA applicants

MANILA, Philippines — After Justin Baltazar last year with Converge, will another towering aspirant emerge as No. 1 pick? Or will a backcourt dynamo, just like Stephen Holt with Terrafirma two seasons back, get chosen first?

It’s all in the hands of the Dyip as they select ahead of everyone else in today’s PBA Season 50 Rookie Draft at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.

The Dyip are keeping it close to the chest, with new coach Ronald Tubid saying they’ll take the “best talent available” from among the 122 in the final roster of eligible applicants.

But talks are swirling that the franchise that finished with a woeful record of 3-30 last season may be eyeing former Gilas Pilipinas cadet Geo Chiu, who stands tall in a batch wanting on big men but heavy on guards and wingmen.

Chiu is the tallest of the group at 6-foot-9 and registered the longest arm span horizontally from one fingertip to the other (82 inches) and the longest standing reach (107 inches).

There are other viable candidates, too, like UP star Juan Gomez de Liaño, Fil-Italian Dalph Panopio and Fil-Am veteran Jason Brickman – all playmakers.

Also tipped to be prime choices are former NCAA MVP Will Gozum, Fil-Canadian Chris Miller, who won the Three-Point Contest in the Draft Combine, Fil-Ams Cole Micek and Chris Koon and homegrown talents Ljay Gonzales and Yukien Andrada, among others.

After Terrafirma, Converge picks next, using the No. 2 slot it acquired from Phoenix recently in exchange for its eighth selection plus forward Bryan Santos. The FiberXers are said to have their eyes on Gomez de Liaño, who had experiences in Japan, Lithuania and Korea prior to entering the PBA.

Blackwater takes its turn at No. 3 followed by NorthPort, NLEX, Magnolia, Meralco, Phoenix (in Converge’s old spot at eighth), defending Philippine Cup titlist San Miguel Beer, Rain or Shine, Barangay Ginebra, and the Elasto Painters again, using the No. 12 pick they acquired from TNT in a past swap.

This year’s crop may not be considered as deep as the previous draft class but coaches expect to find some gems.

“May quality naman, eh, siguro hindi lang natin makikita ‘yung klase ng quality na nakita natin last year,” said ROS mentor Yeng Guiao, who’s known to uncover rough diamonds to polish.

“Kung big man hinahanap mo, medyo manipis sa big man pero kung gwardiya ang hinahanap mo, wingmen, marami. Medyo rough around the edges pero tingin ko kaya pa-pinuhin pa ‘yung mga laro. May potential,” he added.