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2006 PBA DRAFT
August 20, 2006 @ Market! Market! (Taguig)

So much for the “homegrown” image. Realizing that they have a potential cornerstone for the picking, the Sta. Lucia Realtors yesterday made Fil-American forward Kelly Williams as the top overall choice in the 2006 Philippine Basketball Association rookie draft.

Williams will add depth to the already formidable frontline of the Realtors composed of old hands Dennis Espino and Marlou Aquino and his arrival gives the team its first foreign-born player in quite a long time.

“It feels great, I’ll give all I have to the league and my team,” Williams, the former franchise player of Magnolia in the Philippine Basketball League, told Arab News. “I’m excited to play, no matter for what team.” The selection of Williams came as a truly mild surprise, as the Realtors, who ditched all their Fil-American players after the brouhaha involving “Fil-Sham” Rob Medalla Parker in 1999, selected the Detroit native ahead of everyone else.

Former Far Eastern University ace Arwind Santos was plucked second overall by the Air21 Express, a team notorious for giving away prospective superstars after tapping them on draft day. Santos will join a team that is in need of a blue-chip player after the Express had dealt away top pick Anthony Washington and fifth overall choice Mac Cardona, who were both shipped to Talk ‘N Text. Air21 also did away with its cornerstone of several years — Ren Ren Ritualo — in another one-sided deal to the Phone Pals at the middle of the Philippine Cup.

Spitfirish swingman Joseph Yeo was made the third overall selection by Coca-Cola, while LA Tenorio, the finest point guard in the pool, will join San Miguel after being selected fourth overall by the Beermen.

San Miguel actually used its second pick in the first round on former NCAA Most Valuable Player Gavvy Espinas, a hard-working forward out of the Philippine Christian University.

Sta. Lucia’s second pick in the round - the sixth overall choice - was used on former FEU mainstay Mark Isip even as Alaska tapped Aaron Aban with the seventh pick, and Talk ‘N Text using the eighth choice to snag raw center Mark Andaya. Boyet Bautista went to Purefoods, the Philippine Cup champ which owned the ninth pick, while expansion team Welcoat did not gain much in the proceedings by snagging former University of the Philippines Maroons Abby Santos and Jireh Ibanez with the 10th and 11th selections.

RJ Rizada, a hard-working player who is short for the power forward position, went to the Tigers, while Mark Magsambol was the Realtors’ third and final selection at 13th overall.

The Tigers selected MC Caceres, Chris Pacana, Mike Gavino and former Letran ace Ronjay Enrile for the 14th to 17th selections, while Christian Luanzon, who saw action for a couple of years for the Santo Tomas Tigers in the UAAP, was picked 18th overall by the Aces.

Red Bull exercised its only pick in the proceedings, the 19th overall choice, on Magnum Membrere, the former junior star at Ateneo who never really had a spectacular collegiate career because of a spate of injuries.

Purefoods closed out the proceedings by tapping Olan Omiping as a total of 27 out of the 47 that applied was left untapped and has become free agents. Teams have five days to tender offers on their draft picks.

The pool seemed deep enough but a steal like what Larry Fonacier was for the Barako last year seems unlikely for the coming season. Fonacier, the deadly sniper out of Ateneo, won the Rookie of the Year award last season despite being picked by Red Bull 16th overall.

FIRST ROUND

1) Sta. Lucia - Kelly Williams (Oakland University)
2) Air21 - Arwind Santos (Far Eastern University)
3) Coca-Cola - Joseph Yeo (De La Salle University)
4) San Miguel (via Air21) - L.A. Tenorio (Ateneo de Manila)
5) San Miguel - Gabby Espinas (Philippine Christian University)
6) Sta. Lucia (via Ginebra) - Mark Isip (Far Eastern University)
7) Alaska (via Talk N Text) - Aaron Aban (Letran)
8) Talk N' Text (via Alaska from Red Bull) - Mark Andaya (Letran)
9) Purefoods - Boyet Bautista (Letran)
10) Welcoat - Abby Santos (University of the Philippines)

SECOND ROUND

11) Welcoat - Jireh Ibañez (University of the Philippines)
12) Coca-Cola - R.J. Rizada (Far Eastern University)
13) Sta. Lucia - Mark Magsumbol (College of St. Benilde)
14) Coca-Cola (via San Miguel) - Manuel Caceres (PSBA)
15) Coca-Cola (via Air21) - Chris Pacana (St. Francis Assisi)
16) Coca-Cola (via Ginebra) - Mike Gavino (University of the Philippines)
17) Coca-Cola (via Talk N Text) - Ronjay Enrile (Letran)
18) Alaska - Christian Luanzon (University of Santo Tomas)
19) Red Bull - Magnum Membrere (Ateneo de Manila)
20) Purefoods - Ollan Omiping (University of the East)

DIRECT RECRUITS (Welcoat)

Junjun Cabatu (De La Salle University)
Jay-R Reyes (University of the Philippines)
Jay Sagad (College of St. Benilde)

NOT SELECTED

John Paul Alcaraz (Letran)
Jonathan Aldave (Letran)
Richard Alonzo (Adamson)
Ronnie Bughao (San Beda)
Ryan Cristobal (San Beda)
Dennis Daa (Las Piñas College)
Erian Daja (West Negros University)
Ariel de Castro (National University)
Donald Dulay (El Camino)
Alfie Grijaldo (National University)
Bob Ilanga (University of Mindanao)
Marlon Kalaw (Manuel L. Quezon University)
Chico Lanete (Lyceum)
Jerome Paterno (San Beda)
Glenn Perseveranda (Solano)
Paul Reguera (University of the East)
Frederick Rodriguez (Letran)
Denver Roque (San Sebastian)
Robert Sanz (Philippine Christian University)
Alexander Sibug (Dominican College)
Nilo Sta. Cruz (Letran)
Erwin Sta. Maria (Mapua Institute of Technology)
Nicole Uy (San Sebastian)
Al Vergara (St. Francis of Assisi)
Orvie Vidad (Newham Sixth Form College)

WITHDREW/SCRATCHED FROM LIST FOR FAILURE TO COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS

Robert Reyes (Flagler College)
Joe Devance (University of Texas-El Paso)
Christpher Apaitan (Mindanao State University)
Angelus Raymundo (University of the East)