TNT biggest winner in PBA rookie draft

Talk ‘N Text (TNT) emerged as the biggest winner in the 2015 PBA Rookie Draft, especially after the Tropang Texters acquired Troy Rosario, the No. 2 pick of Mahindra (formerly Kia) yesterday.

The biggest loser? Hard to tell with the 41st season two months away. But should Fil-Tongan No. 1 pick overall Moala Tautuaa and the 6-foot-7 Rosario turn out to be the franchise players they were advertised to become, then Blackwater and Mahindra might rue big time huge decisions they made before and after the draft last Sunday.

The Blackwater Elite held in their hands the rights to pick either Tautuaa or Rosario for its second season but opted to trade away the coveted No. 1 pick to the Tropang Texters, who bestowed Tautuaa the honor, with PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa, in his first official function since coming into office a month ago, making the announcement at Robinsons Place in Ermita.

Why the Tropang Texters, who moved mountains to land the No. 1 pick, believe Tautuaa would be a valuable addition to their already dominant lineup and the Elite do not will remain one of the PBA’s biggest unresolved riddles.

TNT’s good fortune didn’t end there, however.

Narvasa yesterday formalized the inevitable, approving the three-team trade that sent Rosario to the Tropang Texters for sophomore guard Kevin Alas and veteran center Rob Reyes.

Alas was then shipped to NLEX, which in turn gave up veterans KG Canaleta and Aldrech Ramos, Tautuaa and Rosario’s teammate with Gilas, to Mahindra.

The mainstream and social media is awash with Mahindra management following Blackwater’s lead and deal away the consensus second best player in the draft.

That would be Rosario, a center built like a young but taller Danny Ildefonso.

After Narvasa declared a moratorium on on-the-floor dealing on D-Day, briefly scuttling whatever talks were ongoing, Mahindra selected Rosario instead of just turning over draft rights to Talk ‘N Text as traditional practice dictates.

Meanwhile, Narvasa also gave his approval on the trade that sent Barako Bull’s Nico