Estil of the draft?

Unheralded Sonny Estil stole the spotlight after emerging as mini-tournament Most Valuable Player at the close of the two-day Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Draft Combine Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Estil, who hails from San Luis, Agusan del Sur, scored 10 points, including a clutch basket with 1.8 seconds remaining, to guide Barangay Ginebra to a 37-35 victory over San Miguel Beer in the final.

The 24-year-old forward also bagged a spot in the Mythical Five, boosting his stock for the proceeding on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall.

“I’m just lucky. I am thankful for the opportunity given by Gov. Delta (Pineda) since he’s the one who gave me the advice to enter the Draft,” Estil said.

“I’m hoping any team will pick me since it has been my dream to make it to the PBA.”

Currently playing for Pampanga in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, Estil will have to wait until his contract expires to join the team that will draft him.

Terrafirma will select the top overall pick, followed by Converge, which took Phoenix’s selection in exchange for Bryan Santos.

Blackwater gets to pick third with the No. 4 selection going to NorthPort, which has yet to finalize its sale to Pureblends, followed by NLEX, Magnolia, Meralco, Phoenix, San Miguel, Rain or Shine and Barangay Ginebra. Rain or Shine will also pick the 12th overall pick it acquired from TNT to end the first round.

A total of 128 hopefuls submitted their applications for the Draft. However, Filipino-Canadian Kareem Marcus Huntley and Fil-American Wilfrid Nada withdrew from the Draft.

Meanwhile, PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial explained that players seeking to return after playing for another league, whether local or overseas, can appeal their case to the Board.

The league has imposed a three-year ban on players who refused to sign with their mother teams despite a valid tender offer. It also applies to rookies who won’t sign the Unified Players’ Contracts offered by the PBA teams that drafted them and opt to suit up elsewhere.

However, the PBA backpedaled by allowing players to submit an appeal if they decide to come back.

“Our Board resolution is that if there’s an appeal from a player who wants to return to the PBA, we’ll course it through the Board to make an assessment and to decide on the matter,” Marcial said.

“Just like for those players abroad who want to come back, for example, a player still has two years (of the ban), he can submit an appeal to the Board.”

Larry Muyang, who was slapped with an indefinite ban for signing with the Pampanga Giant Lanters in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (PBL) without being released by Phoenix, made such an appeal for a return stint.

Marcial said Muyang sent a letter of apology to the Fuel Masters and the PBA. The Board assessed his case and eventually gave its approval.

Muyang will make a fresh start with Converge after Phoenix traded his signing rights.