2025 PBA DRAFT REVIEW | BARANGAY GINEBRA SAN MIGUEL

Barangay Ginebra went into the 2025 draft with three picks, headlined by Draft Combine MVP Sonny Estil at 11, followed by Mario Barasi at 13 and Cedrick Abis at 23.

On paper, that looks like a solid haul, but each selection comes with its own set of questions.

Estil’s rise has been unusual—his MPBL numbers weren’t eye-popping, and outside of his Combine performance, there isn’t much of a résumé to lean on. He almost cracked rosters at UST and Letran but never became a centerpiece, and at 24 years old, he’s more of a late bloomer who happened to catch fire at the right time. Ginebra fans may love the Chris Ellis comparisons, but with Jayson David and Ralph Cu fitting Tim Cone’s system more naturally, Estil will have to prove he can do more than flash athleticism in spurts.

Barasi, meanwhile, is a classic Cone pick—size first, polish later. The former Adamson big man could develop the way Ben Adamos and Prince Caperal did, but there’s also the risk of him fading into the background like Mike Burtscher or Isaac Holstein. His role will likely depend on how quickly he adapts to Cone’s disciplined schemes.

As for Abis, his case is interesting because he was supposed to be Perpetual’s focal point in Season 100, only to be overshadowed by Mark Gojo Cruz and Christian Pagaran. With another NCAA season ahead of him, Abis has a chance to rebuild his stock and prove he can be more than a late-second-round afterthought.

Ginebra addressed their needs with wings and a big, but the reality is Tim Cone rarely throws rookies into the fire unless they are surefire stars—think Johnny Abarrientos, Mike Cortez, Mark Barroca, Scottie Thompson, or RJ Abarrientos. Most of those names were either drafted during Cone’s first year with a team or brought in as part of a rebuild, and none of them were role-playing forwards or bigs.

That said, this may actually be the right moment for a rookie to break through. With Japeth Aguilar aging, Scottie Thompson entering his 30s, and Stephen Holt not getting any younger, opportunities will eventually open up. If Estil, Barasi, or Abis can seize their moment, they might just turn into more than placeholders on a veteran-heavy roster.

PICK	BARANGAY GINEBRA	COMBINE TEAM
1	SONNY ESTIL | 11	GINEBRA
2	MARIO BARASI | 13	GINEBRA
3	CEDRICK ABIS | 23	TNT