Shock deals mar PBA Draft

Ginebra’s drafting of unheralded players wasn’t the only surprise during the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Annual Rookie Draft late Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall in Pasay City.

NLEX also made a lot of heads turn with its choice while a pair of seasoned playmakers fell out of their expected draft positions, underscoring the night full of shock recruitments heading into the golden season of the country’s premier professional cage league.

The Road Warriors waged a recruiting coup when it drafted LJay Gonzales at No. 5 following his successful season with the Quezon Huskers in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League.

The drafting of Gonzales, who was projected to be taken at least in the second round, sent him to the Road Warriors’ crowded backcourt rotation that features stars in Kevin Alas and Robert Bolick as well as Baser Amer, Xy Torres, Matt Nieto and Enoch Valdez.

Gonzales, however, sees it as a beautiful problem.

“I’m thrilled to learn from Kuya Robert,” the former Far Eastern University standout said.

“His experience will be a big boost to me and my career. I’m so excited to be with him and learn from him.”

With Gonzales off the draft chart, Meralco tapped 33-year-old Jason Brickman — the Filipino-American journeyman who fell all the way to No. 7 after being projected to be a top three pick.

Despite carrying one of the league’s most impressive credentials after seeing action in the US National Collegiate Athletic Association, sideliners believe that his advanced age played a major role in his slide.

Brickman, in fact, wasn’t around during the draft proper as he was honoring a commitment in Guam. He, however, is expected to provide veteran leadership to a squad that already has Chris Newsome, Aaron Black, Chris Banchero and Kurt Reyson.

His familiarity with the international style of play will also be crucial as the Bolts have been regularly seeing action in the East Asia Super League.

After Meralco, San Miguel had its turn to pull off a surprise when it drafted unheralded, but already experienced, Chris Miller with the ninth overall selection.

Miller has been competing professionally in countries like Bosnia, Canada, Germany and the United States for more than a decade, but local coaches only took notice when he ruled the Three-Point Shootout of the Draft Combine last Friday.

He said his experience and veteran leadership perfectly suits a winning team like the Beermen.

“Anytime you can come to a league and be expected to compete for a championship is great,” Miller said.

“Whatever role that they want me to do I’ll be very happy with. And, I understand that they have a winning culture, so I just wanna add to that.”

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine closed the first round with yet another shocker when it picked Arthur “Jun” Roque with the 12th overall selection.

Very little is known about the 6-foot-4 Roque except that he also hails from Pampanga, the province of Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, and that he emerged as Most Improved Player of the National Collegiate Athletic Association after a solid performance for University of Perpetual Help System Dalta in Season 99.

But during the Draft Combine, he announced his readiness for the pros when he emerged as part of the Mythical Team together with the highly-touted Dalph Panopio, Mario Barasi Jr., Tutoy Ramirez and Sonny Estil, who was also named as Most Valuable Player.