Texters likely to pick Tautuaa at no. 1
Moala Tautuaa. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
After acquiring two prized rookies last year in Kevin Alas and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, Talk n Text is bound to get another young, promising talent most probably in the person of Fil-foreign player Moala Tautuaa.
Versatile forward Troy Rosario — and probably Bobby Ray Parks – may be considered too as the Tropang Texters exercise their rights for the first overall pick in the 2015 PBA Rookie Draft slated Aug. 23.
READ: D-League MVP Moala Tautuaa ready for the pros
Talk n Text is No. 1 in the draft order as a result of a midseason trade deal with Blackwater where the Texters dealt away their own first-round pick plus veteran player Larry Rodriguez.
In the original draft order based on the teams’ cumulative finishes in PBA Season 40, Talk n Text is ninth, ahead only of San Miguel Beer, Alaska Milk and Rain or Shine.
READ: Talk N’ Text to select 1st in 2015 PBA Rookie Draft
The Texters hit paydirt in the just-concluded season in beating out the Elasto Painters for the Commissioner’s Cup crown.
With all the previous trade deals, Kia is picking second overall, followed by Rain or Shine (acquired from NLEX), Meralco (from Globalport), Barangay Ginebra (from Barako Bull), NLEX (from Ginebra), Meralco, Star, Blackwater (from Talk n Text), NLEX (from San Miguel), Alaska and Rain or Shine.
READ: After another early exit, Bolts eye new pieces from PBA draft
In the second round, Blackwater picks first, followed by Kia, Rain or Shine (from NLEX), Ginebra (from Globalport), Globalport (from Barako Bull), Alaska (from Ginebra), Rain or Shine (from Meralco), Barako (from Star), Alaska (from Talk n Text), Barako (from SMB), Alaska and Rain or Shine.
Aside from Tautuaa, La Salle’s Norberto Torres, Ateneo’s Chris Newsome and Cebuana-Lhuillier’s Simon Enciso are among exciting prospects who beat the June 30 deadline for draft application among Fil-foreign players.
READ: Fil-Ams in PBA D-League hoping to get second look from PBA scouts
Rosario, the best performer in the Gilas cadet team’s SEA Games title run, is expected to lead those listing up until the deadline for homegrown players on Aug. 7.
Coaches get a glimpse of the skills and talents of the draft hopefuls during the Draft Combined event at the Gatorade Hoopsdome in Mandaluyong City on Aug. 19-21.
This is the first event under new PBA commissioner Chito Narvasa. (SB)
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