2025 PBA DRAFT REVIEW | SAN MIGUEL BEERMEN

San Miguel is not exactly the kind of team that relies on rookies, given their deep core and championship pedigree, but the 2025 draft gave them an intriguing opportunity.

For the first time in a while, they were able to land a high-profile pick without having to rely on Northport or Terrafirma doing them a favor. With Chris Ross turning 40 and slowly transitioning into a coaching role, the Beermen needed someone to ease that workload, and they might have found it in “new Chris,” Miller. The old rookie label doesn’t really matter here—Miller is still young enough to play valuable minutes, and his stint with San Miguel’s Draft Combine squad showed he can fit the system. If all goes well, he could learn directly from Ross, who has every reason to groom him as a future rotation piece.

Beyond Miller, San Miguel added Adamson guard Royce Mantua, a raw project who could benefit from being in a winning environment. The rest of their haul—Justine Guevarra, Axel Inigo, and Jacey Cruz—face an uphill battle to crack the roster, especially with how stacked the Beermen already are. That said, Jacey Cruz deserves a closer look. He might seem like a novelty pick in the mold of Kyt Jimenez, but his overseas pro experience in Qatar shows he can compete at a high level. The Draft Combine didn’t really highlight his full skill set, and if he gets a fair chance, he might just surprise a lot of people.

San Miguel may not need these rookies to win now, but they’ve stocked up on potential contributors who could help bridge the gap for the next era.

PICK	SAN MIGUEL BEERMEN	COMBINE TEAM
1	CHRIS MILLER | 9	SAN MIGUEL
2	ROYCE MANTUA | 33	CONVERGE
3	JUSTINE GUEVARRA | 44	GINEBRA
4	AXEL INIGO | 54	TNT
5	JACEY CRUZ | 61	MERALCO