The PBA Board of Governors in a meeting last Monday unanimously agreed to hold a special draft involving five PBA aspirants targeted for inclusion in the Gilas Pilipinas training pool.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas identified the five as Allyn Bulanadi, Isaac Go, twins Matt and Mike Nieto and Rey Suerte. These players will join the pool of players preparing for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
According to PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial the PBA Board of Governors and the SBP have agreed that the special draft will follow the regular drafting order which is Columbian, Blackwater, NLEX, Alaska and Rain or Shine.
The teams retain the right over the five selected players until they are released by the SBP.
The league chieftain said the Special Draft will precede the 2019 PBA Rookie Draft set on Sunday, December 8 at the Robinson’s Place in Ermita.
The drafting order for the first round of annual PBA Rookie Draft are as follows: Columbian, Blackwater, NLEX, Alaska and Rain or Shine. The sixth and seventh pick also belongs to ROS followed by NorthPort, Magnolia, Ginebra, TNT and Columbian.
Meanwhile, Maurice Shaw, a former member of the Harlem Globetrotters, was measured as the tallest player among the 71 PBA aspirants who showed up on Thursday for Day One of the Gatorade Draft Combine at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.
The 34-year old, who went undrafted in the 2004 NBA Draft and, later on played in Europe and Puerto Rico, was measured at 6-foot-8 ½.
While all eyes are trained on top pick prospect Isaac Go of Ateneo, Shaw has likewise attracted coaches and team representatives with his built, size and strength.
Shaw, who also tried American football before coming to Manila, did 27 reps of bench and shared the honors in that department with another little-known named Prince Rivero.
Forward Yankie Haruna of St. Benilde topped the vertical leap test with a heave of 36 inches, highest among the aspirants.
Hubert Cani of FEU was fastest in lane agility test with a speed of 11.28 seconds.
La Salle guard Kib Montalbo also made his mark, completing the ¾ court sprint with the best time of 3.44 seconds.
The second day of activity will be more tedious as players are going to be divided into four teams to be bunched into two groups (Group A-1,A-2, A-3, A-4 and B-1, B-2, B-3, B-4) and play a series of games starting at 9 a.m.
