Who is Beermen’s top pick?
All eyes will be on Christian Standhardinger as he is expected to be the first player chosen in Sunday's PBA Rookie Draft at the Robinsons Place in Ermita, Manila.
San Miguel is set to use the No. 1 overall pick it gained from Kia to select Standhardinger, the 6-foot-8 Fil-German who made waves with Gilas Pilipinas, and strengthen what is already a talentladen roster powered by reigning four-time MVP June Mar Fajardo.
The Beermen got the draft rights of the Picanto in exchange for veterans Ronald Tubid and Jay-R Reyes, incoming sophomore Rashawn McCarthy and a 2019 first round selection, a deal approved by PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa after rejecting two trade proposals.
Should San Miguel go ahead and take the 28year-old bruiser, NLEX will use the No. 2 overall selection to draft former Ateneo star Kiefer Ravena.
Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao had already expressed his desire to draft Ravena, who won the UAAP MVP award in 2014 and 2015 and is the first cager to win four Southeast Asian Games gold medals.
Ravena solidified his status in last week's Draft Combine when he claimed MVP honors in the mini-tournament held at the Gatorade Hoops Center in Mandaluyong City.
Other expected firstrounders from the list of 44 draft hopefuls are exLa Salle star Jeron Teng, PBA D-League stars Raymar Jose, Jason Perkins and Robbie Herndon and NCAA standouts Rey Nambatac of Letran and Lervin Flores of Arellano.
Blackwater picks third followed by Phoenix, Alaska, GlobalPort, Rain or Shine, Phoenix (from Meralco), Star, TNT KaTropa, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and TNT (from Phoenix).
NLEX will select first in the second round, with Star, Blackwater, Star (from Mahindra), San Miguel (from GlobalPort), Alaska, Rain or Shine, Star (from GlobalPort), Phoenix (from Star), TNT, GlobalPort (from Ginebra) and Phoenix (from San Miguel) completing the order.
The rest of the draft will follow the regular order. —