MPBL SEASON 7 | THE CAMPUS EXODUS

Over the years, I’ve been extremely critical of players leaving their schools to transfer elsewhere.

For me, it only makes sense if the player isn’t getting any playing time. Otherwise, transferring just means sitting out at least a year of televised action—and a full year of development that could have helped boost their draft stock. Now that the UAAP has stretched the residency rule to two years, it feels even more impractical.

Imagine moving from one UAAP team to another, only to enter the PBA Draft already on the wrong side of 20.

That’s a tough sell.

Honestly, I’d rather see players take their chances abroad than switch schools locally. Whether or not their stint in leagues like the KBL or Japan B.League pans out, they come back to the Philippines as professionals—and that already puts them a step ahead.

This is also why I’m a bit iffy about the new U.S. NCAA rule that allows drafted players to return to college. On one hand, accountability matters—players should live with the consequences of their decisions. But if a player is still eligible, maybe leagues like the PBA can find ways to loan out their draft picks so their skills don’t stagnate at the end of the bench.

Yes, the PBA still has a lot of veterans in their mid-30s—an age that’s practically retirement territory in the NBA. But you can’t just expect them to hand over their spots to younger players. That’s not how it works. Entitlement won’t get you minutes. Players have to earn their stripes, even if it means grinding it out on the bench or taking the developmental route.

And speaking of development, I’ve been encouraged by a recent trend—more college players making the jump to the MPBL. I don’t know if they actually read my blog, but this is exactly the kind of pathway I’ve been hoping to see.

If they’re unhappy with their current college situation, then maybe the better move is to turn pro.

We saw it with Paeng Are leaving San Sebastian in the middle of NCAA S101 to suit up for Zamboanga. A couple of seasons earlier, Kim Aurin bet on himself by stepping away from the Perpetual Altas, also in the middle of the season, to join Ginebra’s 3x3 team. He’s now with TNT Tropang 5G, and while his numbers aren’t as eye-popping as they were in college, he’s already won two championships. That counts for something.

Even if there’s a chance Aurin goes unsigned after his current deal, there’s little doubt he’ll get another opportunity somewhere. Players like him have already proven they can contribute beyond just being a 3-and-D guy.

With the 2027 PBA Draft still months away, I do like how the league has started aligning its calendar with the end of the collegiate seasons. And just to be clear, I don’t see the MPBL as some kind of basketball purgatory. If anything, it’s a legitimate developmental platform—much like the old PBL and the PBA D-League.

We’ve seen this path work before. Allein Maliksi was once just Dylan Ababou’s backup at UST before boosting his stock as the first-ever PBA D-League MVP. The same goes for players like Justin Chua and Jason Perkins, who had to work their way into the PBA D-League after losing their starting roles in college to Greg Slaughter and Ben Mbala, but eventually carved out solid pro careers.

Of course, there are still rare talents who are PBA-ready right away, like Kiefer Ravena.

The problem is the current rules. Players under 22 need at least two years of college experience, and realistically, very few are ready to declare that early. Back then, guys like Jun Limpot, Terrence Romeo, and Beau Belga entered the league at around 21 or 22. Today, most rookies come in at 23 at the earliest, with many closer to the 25 to 27 age range.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won his MVP at 27. Nikola Jokic got his first at 26. Derrick Rose won his at 23. Luka was in his tweens, like Victor Wembanyama, when they made their pro debut.

It’s wild to think that players like Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, Carl Tamayo, and Kevin Quiambao are still being labeled as “bagito” when, age-wise, they’re already in what should be their prime.

Anyway, here are the players from NCAA Season 101 and UAAP Season 88 who are set to debut in the MPBL this season.

Some have already exhausted their eligibility, while others chose to forgo their remaining years—either to earn a more stable income or to improve their stock for the PBA Draft.

SAN JUAN KNIGHTS

MIKE PHILLIPS	DLSU	12.6PPG | 14.6RPG | 2.7APG
HAROLD ALARCON	UP	12.4PPG | 3.6RPG | 2.8APG
PATRICK SLEAT	PERP	11.6PPG | 4.4RPG | 4.0APG
GERRY ABADIANO	UP	8.7PPG | 1.9RPG | 1.6APG
JP BORAL	PERP	8.0PPG | 3.9RPG | 1.2APG
JEARICO NUNEZ	PERP	5.0PPG | 5.0RPG | 0.6SPG
REYLAND TORRES	UP	4.7PPG | 2.3RPG | 0.6SPG
TERRENCE FORTEA	UP	4.4PPG | 1.4RPG | 1.8APG

CALOOCAN BATANG KANKALOO

KYMANI LADI	ATENEO	14.3PPG | 7.1RPG | 1.4APG
DOM ESCOBAR	ATENEO	11.1PPG | 6.9RPG | 1.9SPG
KEAN BACLAAN	DLSU	7.8PPG | 2.4RPG | 3.0APG
JAKE GASPAY	BENILDE	2.9PPG | 3.6RPG | 0.9BPG

QUEZON HUSKERS

JOHN ABATE	UE	16.2PPG | 4.6RPG | 4.3APG
CEDRICK MANZANO	ADAMSON	11.7PPG | 7.1RPG | 0.9BPG
JOLO MANANSALA	NU	7.7PPG | 4.5RPG | 1.2APG

BINAN TATAK GEL BEAST

NIC CABANERO

UST

17.3PPG | 5.8RPG | 2.6APG

ZAMBOANGA SIKAT

JOSHUA LAZARO	ATENEO	3.8PPG | 3.6RPG | 0.7APG
JANJAN FELICILDA	UP	1.3PPG | 0.9APG | 0.4SPG

PASAY VOYAGERS

CYRIL GONZALES	MAPUA	10.3PPG | 2.3RPG | 1.9SPG
STEVE NASH ENRIQUEZ	NU	6.1PPG | 1.9APG | 1.1SPG
MARK PARKS	NU	4.1PPG | 1.4RPG | 0.7SPG

ILAGAN ISABELA COWBOYS

KYLE PARANADA	UST	7.6PPG | 2.1RPG | 2.5APG
TRISTAN FELEBRICO	SSC-R	7.0PPG | 4.5RPG | 3.5APG

ABRA WEAVERS

DREX DELOS REYES

MAPUA

4.7PPG | 3.3RPG | 0.8BPG

MINDORO TAMARAWS

JC RECTO

MAPUA

9.0PPG | 6.3RPG | 1.9APG

GENSAN WARRIORS

JOSHUA MORALEJO	LPU	8.1PPG | 2.6RPG | 3.0APG
MICHAEL VERSOZA	LPU	7.4PPG | 5.0RPG | 1.1APG
ANTON EUSEBIO	BENILDE	1.8PPG | 1.4RPG | 0.4SPG

BASILAN STEEL  

GAB COMETA

BENILDE

2.9PPG | 1.0RPG | 1.1APG

MUNTINLUPA CAGERS

SHAWN ARGENTE

JRU

13.4PPG | 2.4RPG | 1.5APG

So these are the names I have penciled in as potential debutants for MPBL Season 7. The San Juan Knights lead the pack with eight players, while the Caloocan Batang Kankaloo have four on the list.

Of course, this isn’t final. There’s still a strong possibility that players like Forthsky Padrigao, Clint Escamis, and Jomel Puno could eventually join this group.

I also left out Paeng Are. While he did suit up for San Sebastian last season, he already made his MPBL debut toward the tail end of Season 6 with his current team, Zamboanga Sikat, so he no longer qualifies as a first-timer.

That said, I did include Gab Cometa. Despite going undrafted and unsigned in the 2025 PBA Draft, he still saw action with the Benilde Blazers last season, making him a notable addition to this batch.

As for the other undrafted player from that class, John “Ato” Barba, he has yet to land with a team after wrapping up his collegiate career with the LPU Pirates.

For me, one of the early favorites to make an impact is Cedrick Manzano. The Adamson Soaring Falcon already showed flashes of his potential as a reliable big man during the 2025 SEA Games, holding his own despite being a collegiate player surrounded by pros from the PBA and various international leagues.

Now, while San Juan has stacked its roster with marquee signings, it’s still hard to see these newcomers immediately taking over as the team’s primary scoring options. The Knights’ core remains intact, still anchored by Orlan Wamar, which means the new additions will likely have to carve out their roles first before fully breaking out.

That said, this is a great opportunity for players like Michael Phillips to boost their draft stock. The same goes for Patrick Sleat and Harold Alarcon, who could use this platform to strengthen their cases as future pros.

At the end of the day, this is the path I’ve always wanted to see for players in this situation. Yes, their college teams will definitely feel their absence—especially in the NCAA, where the balance of power could swing back toward San Beda, Letran, and possibly teams like Arellano, JRU, and Perpetual.

But even then, turning pro still makes more sense than transferring to another school, sitting out due to residency rules, and losing a crucial year of development.

Sometimes, the better gamble isn’t staying in the system—it’s stepping out of it.