Polite decline

No active University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) player will climb the stage when the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) holds its Annual Rookie Draft on 7 September.

According to UAAP executive director Atty. Rebo Saguisag, they expressed regret and politely declined the PBA’s request of allowing UAAP student-athletes to be part of the coming draft.

Speaking on behalf of the UAAP Board of Managing Directors, Saguisag stressed that allowing their players to turn professional in the middle of the season will create a ripple effect that would be greatly felt in other sports that have professional leagues like volleyball and football.

“When we make that decision because it’s not per sport or per division. It’s for the whole sporting program of all events,” Saguisag said at the sidelines of the UAAP Season 88 news briefing at the Dr. Robert Sy Grand Ballroom of University of Santo Tomas (UST) Paredes Building on Wednesday.

“We have to decline at least for this season politely. We can’t grant the request to let the players enter the Draft in the midst, or actually even before the basketball season begins. There are a lot of implications here.”

Last week, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial told DAILY TRIBUNE that they reached out to the UAAP, requesting it to allow its players join the rookie draft.

Among those who are eligible to get drafted are Forthsky Padrigao and Nic Cabañero of UST, Mike Phillips of De La Salle University, John Abate of University of the East, and Terrence Fortea, Gerry Abadiano, Harold Alarcon, Janjan Felicilda and Reyland Torres of University of the Philippines.

With that, UAAP stars would have to wait for one full year before getting drafted, prompting them to bring their talents elsewhere like the professional leagues abroad and the local Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

But Saguisag said Marcial understood their sentiments, telling him that they need more time to study their position.

“Commissioner Willie understood our position,” Saguisag said.

Since the UAAP reopened in 2022, some of its top stars opted to take their talents overseas rather than play in Asia’s first professional basketball league.

SJ Belangel, and Dave Ildefonso of Ateneo de Manila University, Kevin Quiambao of La Salle and JD Cagulangan of UP completely skipped the PBA draft and opted to play in the Korean Basketball League after their respective collegiate careers.

Meanwhile, Fighting Maroons Francis Lopez and Carl Tamayo chose to play in the Japan B.League instead of the PBA. Even Quentin Millora-Brown signed for the Macau Black Bears after winning the UAAP Season 87 title with UP last year alongside Cagulangan and Lopez.

UAAP Season 88 Board of Managing Directors president Fr. Rodel Cansancio of UST said they are not closing the door on the request of the PBA but rather, would need more time to discuss the matter.

“The board discussed the request coming from the PBA. But you know, this is a policy issue that affects other sports,” said Cansancio, who is also the director of the UST Institute of Physical Education and Athletics.

“So, we need time to discuss more about this proposal moving forward. So on the part of UAAP, our Sports Eligibility Committee is now studying this proposal.”

The UAAP is expanding its sports calendar for Season 88, giving more student-athletes a stage to showcase their skills with the return of one sport and the debut of another.

Boys’ baseball is making its long-awaited comeback, while the league is also introducing a boys’ tennis tournament at the high school level.

“High school baseball will be coming back. Also, we’ll be introducing (the) tennis boys’ tournament for high school this Season 88. Those are some changes in the schedule,” Cansancio said.

The revival of high school baseball is a timely development, especially after the Junior Golden Sox, the defending champions from Season 82, made history by competing in the 2025 Babe Ruth World Series held from 1 to 9 August in Ocala, Florida.