This is a reach.
But I can't help it.
Whenever my website talks about the PBA Draft, for some reason the page views skyrocket. It feels as if all the hell we see in the PBA like their inability to stop the farm teams from trading their best players, the complete disclosure of a team's salary cap, and the fact that the best collegiate players would rather live like OFWs.
And with Overseas Filipino Workers in mind, let's talk about the 2024 PBA Draft... or Season 49 Draft for the perfectionists out there.
Just like the current state of the PBA Drafts, teams are not signing up-and-comers in 2024. Pretty much, the 12 PBA teams are going to get a lockdown on the college players, Fil-Am stars, and imports with more or less experience in some sort of league before the PBA.
Again, if the PBA wants to revamp the league, all they need to do is go without the old rules. When a player gets at least a year in college, then they are eligible to enter the draft. Teams will have a chance to play them or to send them back to the college leagues for seasoning. If the player is already old or has graduated from college, then he is responsible for his decisions. With this move, a player can play pro ball at the peak of their career and there is a chance that he's not going to lose in all the chaos.
Anyway, here are the names of the players I think are at the right age to join the draft. Honestly, I bet most of these guys have no intention of playing in the PBA but it helps to see that those are their names, and listed next to them are their ages. Bear in mind that while Robert Jaworski and Danny Florencio entered the PBA when they were about to hit 30, they were able to carve a beyond-respectable career. With that said, Abet Guidaben was only 22, Philip Cezar was only 22, Abe King was only 19, and Terrence Romeo was only 21 when they first saw PBA action.
INTERNATIONAL PLAYERS
PLAYER | COLLEGE | AGE IN 2024 |
DWIGHT RAMOS | ATENEO BLUE EAGLES | 26 |
RHENZ ABANDO | LETRAN KNIGHTS | 26 |
KAI SOTTO | ATENEO BLUE EAGLETS (HS) | 22 |
AJ EDU | TOLEDO ROCKETS | 24 |
THIRDY RAVENA | ATENEO BLUE EAGLES | 28 |
RJ ABARRIENTOS | FEU TAMARAWS | 25 |
CARL TAMAYO | UP FIGHTING MAROONS | 23 |
JUSTIN GUTANG | BENILDE BLAZERS | 27 |
SJ BELANGEL | ATENEO BLUE EAGLES | 25 |
DAVE ILDEFONSO | ATENEO BLUE EAGLES | 24 |
KOBE PARAS | UP FIGHTING MAROONS | 27 |
JUSTINE BALTAZAR | DLSU GREEN ARCHERS | 27 |
JUAN GOMEZ DE LIANO | UP FIGHTING MAROONS | 25 |
JAMES SPENCER | UP FIGHTING MAROONS | 24 |
FIL-AM PLAYERS
PLAYER | COLLEGE | AGE IN 2024 |
REMY MARTIN | KANSAS JAYHAWKS | 26 |
SEDRICK BAREFIELD | UTAH UTES | 28 |
CJ LANE | EASTERN ILLINOIS PANTHERS | 29 |
RON HARPER JR. | RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | 24 |
CAELAN TIONGSON | BIOLA UNIVERSITY EAGLES | 32 |
JASON BRICKMAN | LONG ISLAND UNIV SHARKS | 33 |
LAWRENCE DOMINGO | EASTERN NEW MEXICO GREYHOUNDS | 31 |
MIKH MCKINNEY | SACRAMENTO STATE HORNETS | 32 |
ETHAN ALVANO | CSU SAN MARCOS COUGARS | 28 |
JEREMY ARTHUR | FRANKLIN PIERCE UNIVERSITY | 30 |
COLLEGE AND SEMI-PRO STARS
PLAYER | COLLEGE | AGE IN 2024 |
WILL GOZUM | BENILDE BLAZERS | 25 |
CJ PAYAWAL | UE RED WARRIORS | 27 |
JEROM LASTIMOSA | ADAMSON SOARING FALCONS | 26 |
EVAN NELLE | DLSU GREEN ARCHERS | 25 |
CJ CANSINO | UP FIGHTING MAROONS | 25 |
FORTHSKY PADRIGAO | UST GROWLING TIGERS | 22 |
JOSHUA FONTANILLA | UST GROWLING TIGERS | 26 |
MIGGY CORTEZA | BENILDE BLAZERS | 26 |
POYPOY ACTUB | UNIV OF VISAYAS LANCERS | 23 |