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The 2011 PBA Draft is, at first glance, one of the deepest drafts in years. Teams are guaranteed quality prospects all the way to the early stages of the second round, thanks in large part to the entry of members of the SMART-Gilas Pilipinas national team.
Despite the talent in the draft, there are, curiously, very few prospects who have the potential to alter the course of a PBA franchise. There is also a steep drop in the talent level once it gets to the latter stages of the second round.
Version 1.0 of our mock draft takes a look at the best available prospects, and compares their potential — ceiling and floor — with players of yesteryears.
1. Powerade – Jayvee Casio
SMART-Gilas coach Rajko Toroman calls Casio one of the best point guards in Asia. While it’s high praise coming from a coach who has taken his team to the Olympics, it has to be taken with a grain of salt considering that Toroman, you know, coaches Casio.
Here’s what we know: Casio has one of the finest pair of shooting hands we’ve ever seen in the league, and we’ve seen his champion’s heart through all the years he’s been playing in the spotlight, in college and with the national team. Still, questions remain: Will his frail body hold up in the gruelling PBA season? Will he make the same shots without Marcus Douthit setting (borderline illegal) screens for him? Is he just a SMART-Gilas system player?
Ceiling:
Ronnie Magsanoc. It’s tempting to compare Casio to 2011 PBA Most Valuable Player Jimmy Alapag because of their similar outside effectiveness, but the SMART-Gilas hotshot doesn’t quite have the strength and athleticism of the Mighty Mouse. He reminds us more of Ronnie Magsanoc, one of the greatest shooting point guards the PBA has ever seen; like the Point Laureate, Casio relies a lot on guile, smarts, and of course, those golden hands.
Floor:
Ric-Ric Marata. We suspect most readers don’t remember this, so let us jog your memory. In 1988, Ric-Ric Marata was one of the stars of the amateur national basketball team, and gained prominence by winning the three-point shooting contest in the PBA. But he never quite found his place once he entered the pro league, spending most of his career as a backup (to Frankie Lim in Alaska and Al Solis in Swift). But like Casio, boy could he shoot.
2. Rain or Shine – Paul Lee
We are, frankly, very excited by the prospect of Paul Lee playing in the balls-to-the-walls style of Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. Some would question whether Lee’s style would fit with Guiao’s system, but that’s bunk; as a coach, the fiery mentor has led teams starring Tony Harris, Nelson Asaytono, Vergel Meneses, Willie Miller, and even Enrico Villanueva to championships. He has coached players with attitudes before, and he has won with players with attitude before. Why should Lee, the most exciting player in the draft, be any different?
Ceiling:
Willie Miller. Lee isn’t quite the athlete that Miller was in college — back in Letran, Willie Thriller used to dunk during games — but the Cobra Commander might actually be more developed at the same age. Like Miller, Lee has the same ability to take — and make — impossible shots. Lee has that unique, tantalizing potential.
Floor:
Bonbon Custodio Basketball nerds who watched the Philippine Basketball League religiously in the late 2000s would back us up on this: Custodio was one of the most exciting, if not the most exciting, player in the amateurs back when he was with Magnolia Purewater. But when he entered the PBA, the former UE guard struggled to find a position as a tweener guard who can’t run the point and was too small to play the two full-time. Sound familiar?
3. Barako Bull – Marcio Lassiter
Lassiter is the best talent available, and he fills a need for Barako Bull, especially if the rumored trade of Willie Miller does push through. But given the history of Barako — it’s the same old Air 21 franchise — we wouldn’t be surprised if this pick is shipped. If not now, then later.
Ceiling: Jeffrey Cariaso. A very, very, very, very good player who was never quite a superstar.
Floor: Aaron Aban, with better handles
4. Powerade – Mac Baracael
Powerade needs help at all positions, and as players in the draft go, Baracael is among those most ready to contribute to a team. His stint with SMART-Gilas did not only prove that he could knock down big shots, but also that he could defend much bigger men. The only downside to his pick is that he’s already 26 years old; Baracael’s a finished product.
Ceiling: Tony dela Cruz. A knockdown shooter who doubles as a versatile defender who can guard four positions.
Floor: Norman Gonzales. When you consider that Gonzales has been a solid part of a professional basketball team’s rotation for the past 13 years dating back to his Metropolitan Basketball Association days, you’d realize that this isn’t such a bad floor for Baracael.
5. Shopinas.com – Mark Barroca
Shopinas has a bare cupboard, and Franz Pumaren needs help at every spot. So why not Mark Barroca? Pumaren has had his greatest success as a coach when he has a solid floor general leading his team. And even though his stock has dropped a bit because of his SMART-Gilas stint, where he was overshadowed by Casio, people shouldn’t forget just how good Barroca could be when he is given free reign to improvise on the court.
Ceiling: A smaller Jason Castro
Floor: Topex Robinson
6. Alaska – Chris Lutz
Coach Tim Cone and the Alaska Aces should celebrate if Lutz falls on their lap, because he fills two of their biggest needs: backcourt size and outside shooting. When Cyrus Baguio came down with an injury late last season, Bonbon Custodio and Wesley Gonzales had to masquerade as starting shooting guards to fill his place. Which is why Lutz would be a perfect fit for the Aces.
Ceiling: Prime Junthy Valenzuela
Floor: Will Antonio
7. Talk ‘N Text – Jason Ballesteros
Because he hardly played with SMART-Gilas, we have no idea just how much — or just how little — Ballesteros has developed. People forget that prior to joining SMART-Gilas, Ballesteros had an excellent season with San Sebastian in the NCAA, leading the league in statistics though failing to win the MVP award because his team did not make the final four.
If Talk ‘N Text keeps this pick, they might take a flyer on Ballesteros, because the team still needs more ceiling — Ali Peek is the only true center who gets minutes in their rotation.
Ceiling: Billy Mamaril
Floor: Gilbert Lao
8. Petron Blaze- Dylan Ababou
Like Ballesteros, Ababou has been glued to the SMART-Gilas bench since leaving school, which gives us no idea just how good he has gotten. But we still have fond memories of him putting on his Superman cape to carry the UST Growling Tigers, and we’re hopeful that he’ll be able to translate that into meaningful minutes in the PBA.
Ceiling: Lordy Tugade
Floor: Yousif Aljamal
9. Ginebra - Reil Cervantes
We had originally thought of pegging a guard at this spot, just to see the reaction of Ginebra fans to the idea of their team taking yet another small guy for their “agency.” But it’s too hard to pass on Reil Cervantes, a burly, if undersized, power forward who has a sweet shooting stroke. Playing with undersized power forwards has worked well for Ginebra this past season, and Cervantes looks like he’ll fit right in.
Ceiling: Reynel Hugnatan
Floor: Ricky Calimag
10. Barako Bull – Ken Acibar
Ken Acibar might be the most intriguing prospect in the draft. He has talent — he made it to the UAAP’s Mythical Five in his last season with UE — and he’s only 21 years old. But many teams in the PBA have been intrigued by that very combination, only to end up being disappointed.
Ceiling: Nelbert Omolon when he’s playing very well.
Floor: Nelbert Omolon when he’s playing very poorly.
11. Shopinas.com – Allein Maliksi
Maliksi is the bizarro version of his former UST teammate Dylan Ababou. After leaving college, his profile actually soared in the commercial ranks, as a key contributor to the Philippine Patriots and as the 2011 MVP of the PBA D-League. Did anyone think, watching the pair of Tigers back in 2009, that people would be talking about them as PBA prospects in the same breath?
Ceiling: Former amateur slam dunk king JC Intal
Floor: Former amateur slam dunk king Reuben dela Rosa
12. Talk ‘N Text – Eric Salamat
Salamat seems like a good fit on Talk ‘N Text, with his basketball IQ and his Ateneo pedigree.
Ceiling: Wynne Arboleda
[B]Floor: Mon Jose. The similarities are eerie — a left-handed steals specialist for one of college basketball’s elite programs, who had a hard time finding a position in the pro league?
13. Alaska – Ariel Mepaña
Mepaña is a banger from the rough-and-tumble leagues of Cebu, and he impressed Manila-based coaches with his toughness and surprising offensive adeptness in the D-League. He also played for Luigi Trillo at Cebuana Lhuillier, and when you look at Alaska’s history, Trillo’s ex-players have a way of finding themselves on the Aces’ roster.
[B]Ceiling: Post-knee injury Richard Yee
Floor: His ceiling is already a post-knee injury Richard Yee. Do we really need to set a floor?
14. Alaska – Pamboy Raymundo
Raymundo was a great floor leader with San Sebastian, and was a solid point guard in the D-League. Alaska needs a young backup for LA Tenorio.
Ceiling: TY Tang
Floor: Macky Escalona
15. Alaska – Julius Pasculado
Instead of typing more words here, why don’t we just post this Julius Pasculado highlight reel, which was uploaded by a YouTube user mysteriously named Julius8783:
Ceiling: Josh Urbiztondo
Floor: Rob Johnson
16. B-MEG – Magi Sison
The one-time SMART-Gilas member is 6-foot-7, and people who are 6-foot-7 have a knack for finding their way into PBA rosters.
Ceiling: A smaller, weaker Yancy de Ocampo
Floor: C’mon, we just called the guy a poor man’s Yancy de Ocampo. At best.
17. Alaska – Gilbert Bulawan
Four second round picks for Tim Cone, who is notorious for never playing rookies? We think there’ll be a bunch of trades going down for the Aces.
As for Bulawan, he’s a tough, physical enforcer (ask San Beda fans) who’ll probably end up getting a look for one of the teams.
Ceiling: Jerwin Gaco
Floor: Think of any guy from the PBA in the ’80s who were just in the lineup to start a fight.
18. Ginebra – James Martinez
C’mon, Ginebra couldn’t possibly go through a whole draft without taking a point guard, right?
Which leads us to James Martinez. When we asked insiders what they thought of him as a prospect, the answer we got was: “Jai Reyes is in the PBA, isn’t he?”
Why, yes. Jai Reyes is in the PBA.
Ceiling: Jai Reyes
Floor: Jai Reyes
19. Barako Bull – Brian Ilad
Actually, we have no idea if Barako Bull would really draft Brian Ilad. It just gives us an excuse to post this clip:
Our favorite part of the video? Check out Paul Lee, prior to his Appeton weight gain days.
Ceiling: Floyd Mayweather
Floor: Davao City mayor Sarah Duterte
20. Barako Bull – Mark Cagoco
Cagoco was an erratic but explosive guard with JRU, but he has been out of the basketball scene for the past year, playing mostly in commercial tournaments in the provinces. But who knows, he might get a look.
Ceiling: Chico Lanete
Floor: Boyet Bautista
21. Talk ‘N Text – Christopher Concepcion
With a talent-laden roster, we wouldn’t be surprised if Talk ‘N Text passes, or if the team trades the pick. We’ve been hearing good things about Concepcion, who is listed at 142 pounds. We’re pretty sure Ali Peek has had some meals that weighed that much.
Rain or Shine
Originally Posted by Silent Killer
- - after all his first language I believe is english.
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