Sydman’s Side Defect: 2008 PBA DRAFT - WHAT SHOULD TEAMS LOOK!

This happens when you suck in a PBA season.

You get to pick the best man that has yet to play in the league.

The benefits? Hmmm… recently-hailed MVP Kelly Williams has produced a ring for the erstwhile tailgaters, Sta. Lucia Realtors. MVP runner up Arwind Santos almost gave the Air21 Express a championship had not for the deserving Brgy. Ginebra Kings.

After two years in the league, they became superstars.

While Joe Devance would probably suffer another poor season playing for the league’s resident weeping boys, a boost from the amateurs could prove enough to make this underachieving team become a championship powerhouse.

GAME STARTS NOW!

WELCOAT: NUMBER ONE

Hmmm… what does this team need? I for one think that they need leadership. However, the Dragons tend to sack their reliable players so they can get worthless underachievers. That’s why they need to settle on an outstanding rookie that could lead them to the heavens.

Jared Dillinger looks like a good player but I hope Gabe Norwood can play in the league. The Dragons need an effective point guard and with an oversized quarterback like Norwood, the team could manhandle the small, paperweights of the other teams. Another good thing about Norwood is he can play multiple positions. I think this is the first time we will encounter a Magic Johnson-like player in the PBA.

TNT: NUMBER TWO

Whoever is left with Norwood or Dillinger is the Pals’ pick. Jared Dillinger is a player from the Liga’s Pampanga Buddies. This is the UST-based team coached by Aric del Rosario, a former TNT assistant coach. Jared seems big for his spot and has no trouble filling in the Pals’ small forward position. Coaches seem high on Dillinger. Problem is, is he really that good? He is not scoring big in the LP but perhaps the reason could probably be the abundance of talent in the Buddies’ roster. He is flashy though, he could be cat-quick and will never be afraid to bruise it up against opponents. While his game is too shady for a number two pick, he’ll surely be better than former #2 guys Marc Victoria and last year’s Sam Eman.

MAGNOLIA: NUMBER THREE AND EIGHT

I cannot believe this team has two picks! I mean they have depth… which is also their poison. What the team seriously needs is direction. I was hearing reports that Sam Eman is being eyed as bait for the Masters to grab JC Intal. This will mean that The Rocket will NEVER soar in the PBA!

Seriously, any SMC team right now would mean hell hole for any rookie wanting to play in the league. Magnolia is also building for the future though, and this makes Jason Castro and excellent selection for the third spot. Castro, should he play his contract with ex-NBL team and now Harlem Globetrotter-like team Singapore Slingers, will never get benched. He’ll also gain a few tricks which could boost his stock in the league. The only thing that lacks for the guard is a position if and when he decides to don a Magnolia jersey. Another possibility is Rob Reyes, once he gets approved.

At the eighth spot, Magnolia could use this pick to get a big man. One player coming to mind is Ford Arao. The former Ateneo Blue Eagle is a great project once Danny Ildefonso and Dorian Pena decide to retire or get injured.

I think this could be a reason why the Masters are keen to engulf Intal to their roster.

AIR21: NUMBER FOUR AND SIX

This is a tossup between Castro and Reyes. With Eman probably moonlighting to their fence, Castro is the most obvious choice (although like what was said above, . For Rob Reyes though, this is a three-year journey. For some reason, he has yet to complete his papers. Talk… about… dedication! What the fuck is so important than trying to complete his work permits!?! Anywho, Reyes could be a much complete player than Doug Kramer, Gabby Espinas, and Ervin Sotto combined.

As for their other pick, Mark Borboran is another player that should make their heads twirl. The small forward from UE could very well be a baby version of Arwind Santos. He has hustle and it makes up for his lack of bulk. The danger of his lack of size though is he is also a smaller version of Derrick Canlas. Who is Derrick Canlas? Look at the Liga Pilipinas website…

ALASKA: NUMBER FIVE

Alaska would seriously love Solomon Mercado. He can play at least three positions and he has a scorer’s mentality. I doubt the sure-ball-ness of his shots but when he gets fired up, he is determined to score all the shots he likes (He is susceptible to “Kobe ’05 moments). Rob Reyes is another player who’ll make it to the team aside from the other biggies in the draft.

PUREFOODS: NUMBER SEVEN

Romel Adducul’s absence spawned a bunch of problems for the Giants. Fact is, the entry of Enrico Villanueva is more than enough to make up until his recovery. The Giants need scoring support as James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, and PJ Simon proved to be the only ones credible to dish out double-digit performances. Look for Purefoods to strengthen its SG/SF spot with intentions of taking in either Harbour standouts Jonathan Fernandez or Jeff Chan, or even second generation gunner Patrick Cabahug. Purefoods has a gazillion of players capable to play the PG spot so curse them if they pick a quarterback.

RED BULL: NUMBER NINE

Yeng Guiao loves to play unheralded players. Problem is, he needs a guy to rebound the ball as he is swamped with wingmen and big guys that shoot above the 3-point arc. I will not be surprised if the Bulls try to grab Borboran, Arao, or even Mark Cuevas. Cuevas is a Fil-Am but little is know from this guy. He came from the Los Angeles County College which is nowhere near NCAA Division 2 material. However, he stands 6’6. And in basketball specs it does make a player worth for a first round selection. They could also select NCAA MVP Kelvin dela Pena, but I think this player could use more PBL seasoning. But this was also the case when the Bulls plucked Leo Najorda. While Najorda, hasn’t been “special”, he has the makings of a Nelbert Omolon.

STA. LUCIA: NUMBER TEN

Last year, critics cringe when they used their pick to get Ryan Reyes when they should have gotten a big guy. They proved the critics wrong and they have been getting great picks for two years running. I still doubt if they’ll get a big guy. They’ll probably try to snatch a point guard. While Denok Miranda is bar none one of the best defensive guards in the PBA today, he seriously lacks credible offense. Enter either TY Tang and Pong Escobal to the picture. Tang and Escobal play contrasting styles. I’m actually surprised that Escobal applied. TNT will not waste their second pick on him so an Aljamal-Escobal reunion will not happen. Tang, while at ten, is a major downgrade of what critics perceive him to be, will best fit Boyet Fernandez’ game. This will also reunite him with Joseph Yeo, who got major accolades for playing off the bench for SLR this season. Tang could wind up with either Alaska, Magnolia, or Air21 but believe me, I can see the guy in green playing well for another team that is color green. Dela Pena is another player they could pick.

COCA-COLA: SECOND ROUND

Coca-cola has the knack to pick good unheralded players from the draft. Last year, they used their second round choice to pick up Ronjay Buenafe. Alongside Devance, they are the only rookies to average in double figures last season. It seems we could be seeing Larry Rodriguez and Mark Yee debuting in the league under their colors. Rodriguez is big but lean and quick. He also displays incredible shot blocking ability. He can play multiple positions but his problem lies with his no-name-ness. He is also playing alongside Dillinger for the Pampanga Buddies. Yee on the other hand, is the Liga’s top scorer. His team, the Pagadian Explorers is matching up with the Cebu Ninos in the Southern bracket and it could mean a MVP citation for this guard. Otherwise, they could select remnants from the above mentioned names not selected in the first round.

GINEBRA: SECOND ROUND

Except for their abundance of guards and slashers, a player picked by the Kings will probably end up as Macky Escalona’s seatmate.

That’s not good.

Still there are a lot of players that could see their names in the second round like DLSU clutch player Cholo Villanueva, UE shooter Kelvin Gregorio, and San Mig Coffee’s Kevin Dalafu.

These names though would likely end up at the bottom part of the second round.

One thing is for sure though, this is not the final lineup and anything could come up. Norwood, Reyes, and Dillinger could miss out of the draft. Escobal or Dela Pena could withdraw their application.

I doubt if this is the final order of the draft, too.

Anyway, a new set of stars will fuse with the old and only the best will survive and the worst would play elsewhere.

My predictions will happen once the applicants have been finalized.

Now you can surf porn.