BIDING his time, Justine Baltazar could be right waiting for the right moment.
In a big event Sunday afternoon at the Ayala Malls Glorietta 4 Activity Center, Baltazar could be the name called first or bestowed upon the honors as top selection in PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft.
A total of 70 players applied for the draft but the big man from La Salle looms as the top choice, two years after making himself available for the exercise only to pull out before D-Day.
The 6-foot-8 player, with a stint with Gilas Pilipinas, starred for the Pampanga team in the MPBL for two years, hastening his skills further. And he believes now is the time to prove his worth in the big league.
That time could be with the Converge FiberXers, the team holding the rights for the top overall pick, ahead of the Blackwater Bossing then the Barangay Ginebra Kings.
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Ginebra took third spot in the draft order as part of the blockbuster trade deal with Terrafirma on the eve of the draft exercise. Stephen Holt and Isaac Go went to the Gin Kings' camp while Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle moved over to Terrafirma.
That's a surprise. And more surprises could well be in the offing on draft day.
If Baltazar goes to Converge, Fil-foreign ace Sedrick Barefield is likely to be the choice for Blackwater at No. 2.
Then there are a lot of notables Barangay Ginebra could choose from at No. 3.
Big names in the pool are Fil-Am Caelan Tiongson, former Korea campaigners RJ Abarrientos and Dave Ildefonso, Kai Ballunggay, Evan Nelle, CJ Cansino, Jonell Policarpio, Ben Phillips, Mark Nonoy, Jerom Lastimosa and former PBA 3x3 star Brandon Ramirez.
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On the sidelines of the Draft Combine, Ginebra coach Tim Cone enjoyed watching action and definitely saw good prospects.
"It's going to be a strong first round, I think. The draft is really very strong. I think there's going to be 12 players in that draft that can really impact the league," said Cone.
Picking at No. 4 is Phoenix followed by NorthPort and NLEX. Rain or Shine will draft back-to-back at Nos. 6 (acquired from trade with Blackwater and TNT) and 7 before Magnolia, Terrafirma, reigning Philippine Cup kingpin Meralco and Commissioner's Cup ruler San Miguel Beer take their turns.
In the second round, ROS will go first (from trade with Converge), followed by NorthPort, Terrafirma, ROS again, Ginebra, NLEX, Converge, ROS, Converge, Ginebra, Meralco and Converge.
For the third and succeeding rounds, it will be Converge, Blackwater, Terrafirma, Phoenix, NorthPort, NLEX, TNT, ROS, Magnolia, Ginebra, Meralco and SMB.(SB)
