2025 NBA DRAFT | PHILIPPINE CONNECTIONS

Nico Harrison has finally pulled off his wild mission of ousting Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks, making Cooper Flagg the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Is this his redemption arc? Maybe. One could argue that rebuilding around Flagg signals a fresh start for the franchise.

But let’s not ignore the firepower already in place—Flagg enters a team that includes Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and possibly one or more of Dereck Lively, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford. Quietly, Dallas has assembled a star-studded roster.

That said, I’m here less for the team drama and more for the Gilas Pilipinas connections.

While the next player selected has a hint of Filipino blood, there are others in this draft class who could pose serious challenges to the national team in the years to come. Whether as NBA opponents or international rivals, they’re worth keeping an eye on.

PICK 2 | SAN ANTONIO SPURS | DYLAN HARPER

Let’s get this out of the way. Dylan Harper has serious basketball pedigree. He’s the son of former Chicago Bulls guard Ron Harper, his mother is proudly from Bataan, and his older brother’s on a two-way deal with the Detroit Pistons. Pinoy basketball runs deep in his blood. While it’s unclear if he’ll ever suit up for Gilas Pilipinas, it’s still exciting to have another Filipino-rooted player to cheer for in the NBA alongside Jordan Clarkson and Jalen Green. The No. 2 pick has historically been a mixed bag of Hall of Famers and flops, but here’s hoping Harper joins the former—and helps form a new Big Three in San Antonio with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.

PICK 10 | HOUSTON ROCKETS | KHAMAN MALUACH -

WILL BE TRADED TO PHOENIX

As part of the blockbuster deal that sent Kevin Durant to Houston, Phoenix ends up with another big man in Khaman Maluach, adding to their growing frontcourt alongside Mark Williams. The Suns seem intent on building size, but the question now is whether Maluach can truly develop into more than just a project.

Hopefully, he’s not just another case of a raw, towering prospect who took up basketball simply because of his height or as a way out of conflict—in his case, the turmoil in South Sudan. No offense to African players or others with similar paths, but history has shown us names like Hasheem Thabeet, Thon Maker, Sekou Doumbouya, Tacko Fall, and Bismack Biyombo—players with immense promise who often fell short of expectations after making it to the NBA.

Maluach did have a quick cameo against Gilas Pilipinas at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, playing three minutes and recording two rebounds and a block in a group stage win. Whether that short stint was a preview of his potential or just a footnote remains to be seen.

PICK 16 | PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS | YANG HANSEN

The 7'2" Chinese center becomes the second East Asian big man ever drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers, following South Korea’s Ha Seung-Jin back in 2004. But while Ha was a traditional, back-to-the-basket big man built for the old-school game, Yang represents a more modern mold—mobile, versatile, and better suited for today’s NBA pace and space.

Yang also marks the first Chinese player taken in the first round since Yi Jianlian. And like many Far Eastern prospects before him, Yang won’t just have to adjust to the physical demands of an 82-game NBA season—he’ll also need to navigate cultural barriers, language challenges, and the weight of representing a billion-strong nation every time he steps on the floor.

Currently a member of the Chinese National Team, Yang has yet to face Gilas Pilipinas’ main squad—or any version of it, for that matter. During the 2022 FIBA U18 Asian Championship, China and the Philippines ended up on opposite sides of the bracket, so their paths never crossed in official play.

SECOND-ROUNDERS | THE AUSTRALIANS

Four Boomers were selected in this year’s NBA Draft, and their inclusion could have big implications for Australia’s availability in the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. If all four commit fully to their NBA teams, they might not suit up for national team duty. But if they remain dedicated to representing the Boomers, their NBA exposure could still benefit Australia while giving teams like Gilas Pilipinas valuable scouting material.

Alex Toohey has already seen action with the Boomers during the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers but hasn’t been part of the 2027 buildup just yet. Rocco Zikarsky, on the other hand, is a bit more concerning. He played minutes in 2025 and could be a real threat to Gilas Pilipinas, especially since Australia, the Philippines, New Zealand, and Guam are all in Group A.

While Zikarsky hasn’t had a major role with the Boomers yet, just making an NBA roster is a massive confidence booster. Of course, there's always the possibility his NBA team limits his national team appearances—but since he’s a second-rounder, it’s less likely they’ll block him outright.

But wait—there’s more.

Turns out, there are two more Australians in this draft class. And yes, I completely missed them at first, no thanks to Wikipedia.

First, there's Lachlan Olbrich, a 6'10" forward who also played for Australia in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers. He’s in a similar boat as Zikarsky and Toohey. If given the chance by his NBA team to develop and earn minutes, he could become another problem for opposing squads in Asia.

Then there’s Tyrese Proctor, who is slotted right between the selections of Zikarsky and Toohey. And this guy? He stands out. First off, he’s the fifth Duke Blue Devil to be picked in the 2025 Draft, following Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, and Sion James. With his Duke pedigree, Proctor brings PBA-import-like qualities. That’s no exaggeration as the PBA has seen former Blue Devils like Antonio Lang, Chris Carrawell, Nate James, and even legendary NCC reinforcement Chip Engelland suit up and ball during their time in the league.

The other thing about Proctor? He was a key piece of the undefeated Australian squad that dominated the 2022 FIBA Asia Cup. He posted solid averages of 10.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, while shooting 41% from three. He never faced Gilas directly, but he did go head-to-head with Japan’s Yuki Kawamura in the semis. Gilas, under Coach Chot Reyes, was eliminated by Japan in the quarterfinals. That team featured mostly young talents: Kiefer Ravena, Bobby Ray Parks, Carl Tamayo, Rhenz Abando, Kevin Quiambao, Thirdy Ravena, Will Navarro, RJ Abarrientos, SJ Belangel, Geo Chiu, Lebron Lopez, and Poy Erram.

Anyway…

PICK 45 | CHICAGO BULLS | ROCCO ZIKARSKY

PICK 49 | CLEVELAND CAVALIERS | TYRESE PROCTOR

PICK 52 | PHOENIX SUNS | ALEX TOOHEY

PICK 55 | LOS ANGELES LAKERS | LACHLAN OLBRICH

Man, collecting cards of these Aussies is going to feel weird.

Still, I’m lowkey looking forward to whatever NBA second-round base cards I end up with.

ALEX TOOHEY

ROCCO ZIKARSKY

LACHLAN OLBRICH

TYRESE PROCTOR

Yang Hansen isn’t exactly the biggest threat to Gilas Pilipinas—for now. If Portland lets him continue developing in the Chinese league, that might be a better path than letting him ride the end of their bench. Of course, there's also the G-League route for some fine-tuning. The main challenge for Yang will be adjusting to American culture. And the best way to beat homesickness? Throw him into the deep end. Let him play in the Summer League, train under a veteran big man coach, and bounce between the main roster and the team’s developmental affiliate. That kind of “fish out of water” exposure is necessary if they want to unlock his potential.

The real threat, though, might come from the Australians. Even if some of them go undrafted or unsigned, they still have pathways back to the national team—and may even have to defer to veteran Boomers in the pecking order. Australia’s pipeline is just that deep.

That said, Philippine basketball has to start addressing its developmental timeline. If our college players are only there to finish their degrees, then we’ll keep falling behind countries who treat basketball as a serious profession from an earlier age. Just look at Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. At 26, he’s already a reigning NBA MVP, scoring champion, and Finals MVP. In contrast, a player of that age in our system would probably still be finishing his last year in the UAAP before submitting a draft application.

If NBA teams already find 22-year-old rookies “old,” what does that say about our PBA hopefuls who enter the draft at 24 or 25?

Anyway, I’m rooting for both Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. Not just because of their talent, but because their rookie cards are probably going to be worth a fortune someday.

Get Sydrified.