THOUGHTS | THE NEW PBA DRAFT DIRECTIVE AND WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AS WELL

The PBA issued a directive stating that it would not allow players with existing contracts to join the PBA Draft.

For the past couple of seasons, we have seen players join their teams in the middle of the season because they either needed to complete their NCAA eligibility or honor their MPBL contracts.

Last season, top pick Justine Baltazar had to finish his stint with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, which resulted in him winning his second championship, second Finals MVP, and most importantly, his second MVP award. This year, Geo Chiu had to make the Terrafirma Dyip wait for his services, and while he never had the chance to compete for individual awards, the Abra Weavers went on to win an MPBL title. The Finals MVP went to Jason Brickman, another PBA Draft selection, while the MVP award was won by Dave Ildefonso, who is expected to join the Converge FiberXers after the MPBL’s seventh season.

Meanwhile, Yukien Andrada, Joe Celzo, Bryan Sajonia, and Mark Denver Omega are among the players who finished their NCAA eligibility before joining or getting signed by their respective teams.

For me, the PBA is right to do this because it is unfair to the teams and their fan base. The Philippine Cup is the best time to develop a rookie because they will surely see limited minutes once the imports arrive. That is why I am unsure how the “new” rookies will contend, given that the rookies who were there from Day 1 have fully adapted to their team’s system. Juan Gomez de Liano, Dalph Panopio, Chris Koon, JM Bravo, and even Andrada, who was integrated into the Magnolia system as quickly as possible, will definitely have an edge compared to Chiu, Brickman, Will Gozum, and even Ljay Gonzales because of the valuable time they spent with their squads.

However, the PBA must recognize that this is not entirely the other leagues’ fault.

SEASON	START	END	DAYS
2010-11	10/3/10	8/21/11	322
2011-12	10/2/11	8/5/12	308
2012-13	9/30/12	10/25/13	390
2013-14	11/17/13	7/9/14	234
2014-15	10/19/14	7/17/15	271
2015-16	10/21/15	10/19/16	364
2016-17	11/20/16	10/27/17	341
2017-18	12/17/17	12/19/18	367
2019	1/13/19	1/17/20	369
2020	3/8/20	12/9/20	276
2021	7/16/21	4/22/22	280
2022-23	6/5/22	4/21/23	320
2023-24	11/5/23	6/16/24	224
2024-25	8/18/24	7/25/25	341
2025-26	10/5/25	ONGOING	115 - ONGOING

I understand that the PBA has ties with Gilas Pilipinas and, in some ways, has to free up dates to accommodate the FIBA windows. It is also not their fault that the world had to stop because of COVID-19. Still, if they change their schedule in a way that affects the UAAP, NCAA, and MPBL seasons, they need to allow some leeway. The PBA schedule is extremely volatile. It can last as long as 13 months or as short as nearly eight months. Right now, the 2027 PBA Draft will likely feature the top UAAP, NCAA, and MPBL prospects, but what happens in a season when the PBA Draft is scheduled in December and MPBL players are in the middle of their playoffs?

While the college leagues do not have contracts, the PBA’s issue will also involve the long lull period of international players. The 2024–25 KBL season started in October 2024 and ended in May 2025. The 2024–25 Japan B.League season followed the same timeline, and both leagues’ 2025–26 seasons will also follow this structure. These leagues deal with FIBA windows as well. I truly believe the PBA needs to commit to a more consistent schedule because it allows fans to know when to tune in for the end of each conference or season.

If they cannot fully control the end of the season because the three-conference format tends to extend the calendar, then they should at least make the start of the season more consistent.

I know the PBA can ask other leagues to align with their schedule in terms of when they end their seasons, but they should also give those leagues ample time to adjust. It works both ways. In the days leading up to the 2025 PBA Draft, the PBA attempted to convince the UAAP to allow its players to apply for the draft. The UAAP resisted because it has always been in its guidelines that players can only apply after their season has concluded. The NCAA is more lenient, but as student-athletes, players still need to finish the season before signing with their teams. They can be drafted, but PBA teams must wait before they can be officially signed. As for MPBL teams, it is up to the ballclub’s discretion whether players will be released from their contracts.

If the PBA can lead these leagues by setting a fixed and reliable start to its season, then the other leagues will likely follow suit. And while we are at it, maybe the PBA can also fix the All-Star Weekend in a specific month. If the NBA consistently holds its All-Star Weekend in February, then perhaps the PBA can do the same in April or May.

So yes, I agree 100 percent that it is in the PBA’s best interest to require incoming rookies to be free from existing contracts. But they also need to do something in return.