2014 PBA Mock Draft (First Round Only)

Compared to the last two rookie drafts in the PBA, the 2014 edition is viewed by some to be “not as deep.” That’s still up for debate, but something undeniable is that this particular draft class is, literally, short. With the tallest guy being measured at 6’6, there aren’t any real game-changing bigs to pick here. By all intents and purposes, this rookie class will be dominated by talented guards and wingmen.

Image from PBA.Inquirer.net.

This mock draft will focus squarely on the first round mainly because the succeeding rounds are just too plain unpredictable and, well, most of the impact players will come from the first round anyway, right?

Let’s do this.

FIRST ROUND

Order	Team	Pick
1	GLOBALPORT	Stanley Pringle – Pringle ran into a bit of bad press after it was reported his asking price included the sun and the moon, but the fact of the matter is he might actually be worth it. He hasn’t proven anything yet on home soil, but he’s already being tagged as a potential franchise player. Sleeper: Chris Banchero seems like the only logical sleeper for the top pick, but even that probably won’t happen.
2	RAIN OR SHINE	Chris Banchero – Banchero might not make sense given how crowded ROS’s backcourt is, but the Paul Lee trade talks have fueled speculation that there will, indeed, be a void for ROS heading into the 2014-2015 season. Needless to say, Banchero should be a perfect fit if that happens. Sleeper: Matt Rosser is a nice sleeper for #2 only because he’s so versatile. Think of him as a younger, less polished version of Gabe Norwood who can learn under the wings of, well, Gabe Norwood.
3	BARAKO BULL	Matt Rosser – Rosser gives Barako Bull a lot of versatility on the wings while also giving them the possibility of playing as a small-ball 4. He should form a good tandem with JC Intal. Sleeper: Or, of course, Rosser and Intal clash and things don’t become rosy. In the event that happens, picking Jake Pascual to shore up the frontline isn’t far-fetched.
4	NLEX	Kevin Alas – Alas is an NLEX boy, and he should remain one as he moves up to the pro ranks. Alas has the touch and the moxie to score at this level, but he’ll play behind Mac Cardona, Simon Atkins, and Eloy Poligrates Sleeper: Jake Pascual is another NLEX boy who might get the nod here. He could be NLEX’s version of Ian Sangalang – a young turk coming off the bench to make an instant impact.
5	ALASKA	Jake Pascual – Sonny Thoss and Gabby Espinas are both quality frontliners, but neither is getting any younger (Espinas is still recovering from an injury). Pascual should be a solid back-up at the 4 spot (alongside Vic Manuel) while also being strong enough to bang bodies (or sacrifice fouls) against much bigger foes. Sleeper: If quality bigs are in the conversation, then someone like Rodney Brondial cannot be overlooked.
6	BARANGAY GINEBRA	Ronald Pascual – Pascual was once known as a high-flyer, but now he has become little more than a spot-up shooter. Still, he’s one of the best snipers in this class, and those are always in high demand. The former Stag will probably playe behind Chris Ellis and Mark Caguioa. Sleeper: Rodney Brondial is another good sleeper here. Sure, Ginebra’s frontline is crazy crowded, but Brondial is, by and large, the best player available (BPA) at this point.
7	SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE	Anthony Semerad – This is tough mainly because, top-to-bottom, it sure looks like the Mixers really don’t need anything. They did, however, lose Val Acuña and JR Cawaling, so a wing sub should make sense. Enter Semerad, whose size and shooting make him, at the onset, a poor man’s KG Cañaleta. Sleeper: I want to say Rodney Brondial mainly because, well, who wouldn’t want to learn under Marc Pingris and be coached by Tim Cone, right? And, again, if the Adamson big man is still available here, he is the BPA.
8	BARAKO BULL	Rodney Brondial – No way Brondial slides lower than eighth spot. I mean, Barako would be insane not to make this pick. Brondial has the potential to be a solid piece of this team’s future frontline, especially with Dorian Peña and Mick Pennisi in the homestretch. Sleeper: Should Brondial no longer be available, Prince Caperal makes the most sense here for the Energy Cola.
9	RAIN OR SHINE	Prince Caperal – Caperal would be an interesting addition to a bruising Rain or Shine frontline. He’ll probably get a lot of burn right off the bat, too, since coach Yeng might rest Beau Belga after his travails with Gilas Pilipinas. Sleeper: If Rosser gets the nod at #2 and Caperal, for some reason, is no longer available, ROS should go for Jericho Cruz or maybe even Phillip Morrison, who’ll plug the Paul Lee hole somewhat.
10	BARAKO BULL	Rome dela Rosa – At this point, Barako’s already crowded with middling players in all positions, so let’s just go with BPA. Sleeper: I’m strangely fascinated with Phillip Morrison, the former ABL player who turned some heads in the Draft Combine. Even with RR Garcia already in the fold, Barako might still need Morrison to add depth to its backcourt.
11	KIA	Manny Pacquiao – Yes. This is going to happen. I won’t even pick a sleeper here.
12	BLACKWATER	Jericho Cruz – Cruz played with a high level of success in the D-League as a member of the Blackwater squad, and it’ll make sense for him to stay in Dioceldo Sy’s squad. Heck, he might even be this team’s leading scorer in the Philippine Cup. Sleeper: Phillip Morrison might be a great pick here, too, especially if Blackwater wants someone who has a bit more range than Cruz.

As for the succeeding rounds, here are some notes:

For teams that want big bodies who can bang, consider:

- Raul Soyud, Kyle Pascual, and Frank Golla

For teams that want athletic tweeners, consider:

- Kenneth Ighalo, Mark Romero, McLean Sabellina, Paulo Taha, Gab Banal, and David Semerad

For teams that want shooters, consider:

- Juneric Baloria, Clark Bautista, and Roider Cabrera

For teams that want quality playmakers, consider:

- Phillip Morrison, Brian Heruela, and Juami Tiongson

Other potential dark horses in the latter rounds are:

- Harold Arboleda, Nard Pinto, Mar Villahermosa, Lord Casajeros, and Ralf Olivares

The 2014 PBA Draft will happen later today at the Robinson’s Midtown mall.

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