D-Day for 86 draft aspirants

Barring a last-minute change of heart, Terraffirma is set to make Fil-Am player Joshua Munzon as the top pick in the PBA Season 46 virtual draft exercise Sunday.

Terrafirma officials and coaches have expressed long ago their plan to bestow on Munzon the honors of being the top selection in the stacked draft pool.

The question is who will be the best big man still available as the Columbian Autocar Corp. franchise exercises its rights for the No. 8 pick it acquired in its CJ Perez transaction with San Miguel Beer.

A total of 86 players hope to get drafted in the 46th season of the league’s annual draft starting at 4 p.m. in a proceeding at TV5 Studio in Mandaluyong to be attended by PBA commissioner Willie Marcial, board chairman Ricky Vargas, the other members of the PBA board and a coach and a player representative each from the 12 ball clubs.

The aspirants follow the proceeding via virtual platform.

Four players – Jordan Heading, Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel and William Navarro – have been named to the special Gilas draft, with their signing rights (after their Gilas duties) ceded to the first four teams (Terrafirma, NorthPort, NLEX and TNT) in the draft order.

After the Gilas draft, the regular draft shall proceed.

Collegiate stars, Fil-foreign aspirants and the cream of the crop from 3×3 banner the exciting cast hoping to make the league in its target Season 46 opener in April.

Terrafirma, TNT and Barangay Ginebra making trades to go high on the draft underscore the kind of talents that can be picked from the pool.

Terrafirma, NorthPort, NLEX (from Blackwater) and TNT (from Blackwater acquired from NLEX) dip their hands first in the pool followed by Rain or Shine, Alaska, Phoenix, Terrafirma, Meralco, Magnolia, NorthPort and Ginebra.

In the second round, it’s Ginebra, Blackwater, Blackwater, Alaska, Rain or Shine, Phoenix, Phoenix, NLEX, Alaska, Rain or Shine, Rain or Shine and NorthPort.