THE 2023 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft is expecting a deluge of applicants as the deadline for locals and Filipino-foreign players is set 5 p.m. on September 10 at the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City.
A new league policy as approved by the PBA board of governors in a meeting on May 26 will be implemented in the draft where Terrafirma takes the first pick.
PBA commissioner Willie Marcial described the revised rules as “very welcoming.” The new rule lifted the age limit of 30 years old for Fil-foreign players.
The previous rule on applicants, local or Fil-Foreign, says that a player is eligible if he is 22 or older or at least 19 but has completed at least two years of college.
Another rule is that a draft applicant must have studied and played in collegiate leagues in the country before playing in a professional league overseas, regardless of age, provided that he joins the PBA draft within the third year of his eligibility.
However, if the applicant decides to join the draft in the fourth or fifth year of his eligibility after playing in a pro league overseas, he will have to go through a special computer generated lottery among the 12 teams.
An applicant who has played abroad and joined the draft in the sixth year of his eligibility, or more, will have his application subjected to conditions and approval of the PBA Board.
The draft order for the first round (adjusted to reflect trades): No. 1 Terrafirma, No. 2 Blackwater, No. 3 Rain or Shine, No. 4 Rain or Shine (from Phoenix), No. 5 NorthPort, No. 6 Phoenix (from NLEX), No. 7 NLEX (from Converge), No. 8 Meralco, No. 9 Converge (from Blackwater and TNT), No. 10 Converge (from Magnolia), No. 11 NorthPort (from Ginebra) and No. 12 Terrafirma (from San Miguel Beer). Terrafirma, Rain or Shine, Converge and NorthPort will pick twice in the first round. San Miguel, Ginebra, Magnolia and TNT are without first round picks.