2010 PBA Draft: Baclao is top pick

Monday, 30 August 2010 16:00 Merck Maguddayao

Former Ateneo standout Siverino “Nonoy” Baclao emerged as the surprise number one pick in the 2010 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft held yesterday at the Market! Market! Mall in Taguig City.

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year and 2008 Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) will don the colors of the Air21 Express in the upcoming PBA season in October.

“I'm speechless...I never expected to emerge as the top pick,” Baclao said on SolarTV.

Before the draft, Baclao's Atenan teammate Rabeh Al-Hussaini was favored as the number one pick but the latter was chosen as number two. The 2008 season MVP and 2009 Finals MVP Al-Hussaini, who stands at 6'7”, will reunite with the 6'5” Baclao in Air21.

Baclao, who led the UAAP in rebounds and blocks during Ateneo's back-to-back title run in 2008 and 2009, also played for the Philippine Patriots team in the Asean Basketball League last summer. Al-Hussaini, Ateneo's leading scorer from 2008 to 2009, is a member of the National Team.

However, a gmanews.tv report quoted Al-Hussaini as saying that he was "insulted" by Air21'a decision of picking him behind Baclao. “But it’s okay. There was no communication from Air21 if I will be selected No.2," Al-Hussaini said.

Nonetheless, Air21 head coach Yeng Guiao said that their draft picks was a "management decision."

Other draftees

Meanwhile, Air21 surprisingly picked former Letran Knight Rey Francis Guevarra as the third pick in the draft. The 6'2” Guevarra was the second leading scorer for Letran in the last National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season behind teammate RJ Jazul, who was picked 15^th overall by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

After Guevarra, Fiesta Conference defending champions Alaska Aces picked former University of the East (UE) star player Elmer Espiritu as the fourth pick. The Talk 'n Text Tropang Texters was supposed to snatch the fourth pick but they traded their rights for Alaska guard Larry Fonacier.

Filipino-American Josh Valmandingham, a 6'3” shooter from the Philippine Basketball League, was picked fifth overall by Rain or Shine while fellow Filipino-American Sean Michael Anthony emerged as the sixth overall, and the Express' last, pick in the draft.

The Barangay Ginebra Kings chose 2009 NCAA season MVP John Marion Wilson and 2009 NCAA Finals MVP Jimbo Aquino as the seventh and eighth pick, respectively.

The B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados meanwhile chose Espiritu's college teammate Narciso Llagas as the ninth pick while Shawn Gabriel Weinstein landed to expansion team Meralco Bolts via a trade with the Alaska Aces. The Bolts' Bonbon Custodio was sent to the Aces in exchange for the 10^th pick.

Last year's UAAP finalists Ateneo and UE produced the most draft picks this year with four apiece while NCAA schools Letran, San Beda College, and Jose Rizal University produced two each.

Air21 and Meralco has the most picks with four each while Barangay Ginebra had three picks.

UPDATE: PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon posted on social networking site Twitter that sixth pick Anthony, along with Renren Ritualo, was traded by the Air21 to the Powerade Tigers (formerly Coca-Cola) in exchange for future draft picks. This was also reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer and by sports blogger Jaemark Tordecilla.

2010 PBA Draft picks