Things are going to be interesting in the PBA Rookie Draft on July 14.
More than 24 hours before the PBA Rookie Draft, the league dropped a bombshell by approving a trade between Ginebra and Terrafirma.
Batangay Ginebra sent former Best Player of the Conference Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle to Terrafirma for a younger tandem of Rookie of the Year frontrunner Stephen Holt and Isaac Go.
[RELATED STORY: Blockbuster trade: Ginebra gets Stephen Holt, Isaac Go from Terrafirma for Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle]
The two teams also swapped picks, with Ginebra now owning the third while giving away the 10th to Terrafirma.
[ALSO READ: Tim Cone bares factors in trading Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle for Stephen Holt, Isaac Go]
Though this could pretty much be the biggest news concerning the July 14 proceedings at the Glorietta 4 Activity Center in Makati City, there are still questions that need answers.
One Sports wrote some of them here:
Who is the no. 2 overall pick?
Unless there is some last-minute change of heart or whatever, Justine Baltazar is the consensus no. 1 overall pick.
[RELATED STORY: The time is now: Projected top pick Justine Baltazar expresses readiness to play in the PBA]
The question now is, who would be second and would go to Blackwater?
This is a good problem for the Bossing, though. They can still choose from pool littered with big names like RJ Abarrientos, Sedrick Barefield, Caelan Tiongson, Kai Ballungay, and Dave Ildefonso.
Whichever player they pick, he is expected to make an impact right away for Blackwater.
Another Abarrientos under Tim Cone?
Days ago, Ginebra coach Tim Cone said the team is looking to tab a point guard or a big man in from the 70-man pool.
After the trade, the Gin Kings could pretty much get the best available talent in the said position.
While he marvelled at prospects like Justine Baltazar, it is highly likely the Pamapnga-born cager will be grabbed with the no. 1 pick. The next best big could be Kai Ballungay.
There’s also RJ Abarrientos, another former member of the Gilas Pilipinas who has made a name for himself in South Korean and Japan.
So, who is Cone picking?
Jonnel Policarpio an early first round pick?
After turning heads in the PBA Draft Combine, it appeared Jonnel Policarpio just raised his draft stock.
The former La Salle stalwart steered Team B1 to the mini tournament championship and won the MVP award in the process. He is making a case to be at least a Top 6 pick.
Policarpio told reporters later he trained with NLEX one time before the Combine. The Road Warriors, under the leadership of new head coach Jong Uichico, have the sixth pick in the first round.
[ALSO READ: Jonnel Policarpio turns heads after nabbing MVP honors in PBA Draft Combine mini tourney]
The PBA Draft will be aired on Sunday, July 14, on PBA Rush, RPTV, and Pilipinas Live starting at 4 p.m.