PBA Draft 2011: Best fit vs best talent available

Now that all the PBA draft 2011 secrecy has been made public with yesterday's annual celebration, did teams get the right guy who could make an impact and address a certain need or did they simply opt for the best available talent, regardless of the position played?

1 Powerade/ Jayvee Casio
After making it known that they were on "rebuilding" mode following the trade of Dennis Espino, acquisition of Doug Kramer, Rob Reyes' early retirement and release of Chico Lanete, Powerade had two choices: build with a PG or a Center. From top to bottom it was pretty ascertain that this was the year of the guards. Coach Bo Perasol has made it known even before that they were going with Casio, and get him they did. He's a shoo-in to start for the Tigers and has the size and touch to keep defenders honest. And if the events that ultimately led to the ugly Wyne-gate is any indication of his mental toughness, then the Tigers definitely got themselves a keeper/ franchise PG.

2 Rain or Shine/ Paul Lee
One look at Lee and you just know that he's a Yeng Guiao type of guy. His college coach, Lawrence Tiongson practically preaches the same hard-nosed, run and attack system. With Lee, Guiao finds himself with a quality player who is craftier than lead PG TY Tang and proven more consistent than on again-off again option at SG Ryan Buenafe.

3 Petron/ Chris Lutz
How on earth did Petron get their greasy (and I say that with all disgust since this brand, after winning the title, raised gas prices on us Pinoys lol) hands on this pick? Not only did they manage to get a solid wing who can defend and shoot, but they were also able to reacquire the services of a guy who will probably be Lutz' mentor 'til the Fil-Am rookie gets his feet wet in Dondon Hontiveros.

4 Powerade / Marcio Lassiter
The rebuilding continues for Powerade, who were so bad last season that they had no choice but to reactivate Will Antonio's career for stretches. If Perasol can be convinced to run a Casio-Lassiter backcourt, then there's not a doubt in my mind that this will be one of the more exciting teams in the PBA. Casio to provide the clutch, Lassiter to act as slasher/ defender in that Ronald Tubid role.

5 Shopinas.Com/ Andy Barroca
As you all know, B-Meg decided to reinforce an old trade clause so Barroca's definitely headed to the Llamados regardless. What Shopinas.com should do here is ask for concessions and not to simply just give the pick to B-Meg. Best return would be PJ Simon or even a Joe DeVance. If not, then this was a wasted pick as far as Shopinas.com is concerned. B-Meg needs a PG to spell Roger Yap and eventually take over, and that's what they got in steady Andy Barroca whose slashing ways could create huge openings for volume shooters like James Yap and Simon.

6 Alaska/ Mac Baracael
Other than being the best available talent left on the table, I don't know where Baracael fits in exactly other than to become Tony Dela Cruz' eventual replacement at the wing position. It would be fun to see if Tim Cone can get through Baracael who has a tendency to lose focus in games and wave off orders from the bench.

7 Meralco / Jason Ballesteros
This pick makes the most sense as far as addressing a need is concerned. Asi Taulava is a relic who should be brushed off only for international tournaments while Marlou Aquino is just a sad case. Ballesteros, at a bruising 6"6, can quickly come in and create a fearsome troika with Sol Mercado and Mac Cardona by anchoring the Bolts' defense. If he still has the same game we saw last at San Sebastian, then the bolts are in good shape. If he somehow forgot all the post-up moves that made him a monster with the Stags because of being buried at Smart Gilas, then Meralco is going to be in for another long season.

8 Barako Bull/ Allein Maliksi
Surprise first round pick? Or is he? Well, he IS a PBA Developmental League MVP and that's always going to be hard to argue against (he won it over Calvin "The Beast" Abueva too so that says a lot). I haven't really seen much of Maliksi to make a proper diagnosis, but reports have it that he has improved tremendously since that forgettable stint at UST.

9 Barangay Ginebra/ Reil Cervantes
Finally! Ginebra goes against Jong Uichico's long and storied tradition of opting for guards and going for an actual center/ banger. He could've gone with Ken Acibar with this pick, but opted for the more polished, workhorse Cervantes who doesn't really need the ball to be effective. The guy played with names like Barroca, Baracael and that other dude who were pretty much 100% of FEU's offense and settled for scraps. I do recall however, that Cervantes more than held his own against UST's man-mountain Jervy Cruz (before he lost all the weight for the PBA and disappeared completely because of being an undersized PF).

10 Barako Bull/ Dylan Ababou
Are we sleeping on Ababou? Yes. But rightfully so. I would even go far as saying that minus the Smart Gilas bench stint, Ababou's performance the last two years merits him a second round pick, not first. Where will Ababou fit in the Bulls' rotation? Well, there's a void in the 4 spot that he can pick up should Danny Seigle be switched to the 3-spot/ or get injured. I don't really expect anything from the former UAAP MVP, we've seen it before. He can play, he's proven that, but he only plays when he's motivated or trying to prove something to someone (which he isn't at most times).

Other notable picks:

11 Shopinas.Com/ Magi Sison
I pray that Magi Sison has the same genetic structure as Arwind Santos. Or fellow rook Paul Lee hands him some-hundred boxes of Appeton. He has legit post moves, but not the bulk to bang. What I don't like about Sison is that he's as slow-footed as Marlou Aquino minus the height and heft which is crucial in today's ultra-athletic and competitive PBA.

13 Alaska/ Eric Salamat
Not good enough to steal minutes away from Cyrus Baguio, but definitely a better option for Tim Cone as a backup at the 2 or even for star guard L.A. Tenorio. Salamat plays solid man-to-man defense and has also shown some spunk and fearlessness when the going gets tough.

14 Alaska/ Julius Pasculado
The Internet world loves him and has even made mix-tapes, but it's quite obvious that Cone opted to play the safe card by drafting Salamat first. We still don't know enough about Pasculado, and how he would fit in a system as strict as Alaska's. Either it works out and Cone finally gets that elusive star at the SG since Kenneth Duremdes OR Pasculado fades into obscurity and we write about Salamat and how his salute could earn him a new monicker from Quinito Henson: Sergeant. Get it? When he plays beside "The Lieutenant" Tenorio? I can see the stupid grin from Henson's face right now the minute Salamat receives a nice, behind the back kick-out pass from Tenorio, buries a three and salutes the Aces' crowd.

19 Ken Acibar/ Barako Bull
Maliksi, Ababou and now Acibar? I say that the Bulls went in the PBA Draft with a plan and executed it to perfection. They added guys who could play the wings and have enough to switch to PF. If everything works out the way I picture it to be, we'll see a line-up of Wyne Arboleda, Willie Miller, Maliksi, Ababou and Pena with Acibar as a building block for the future. What I also love about the pick is that Acibar will learn how to rebound like a man from the best of 'em in Pena.

All-in-all, it was a solid draft as far as local talent is concerned. Yes, there was an obvious shortage of big men and starpower outside of Smart Gilas, but from a talent standpoint, guys from one to 11 are all good enough to start for any PBA team NOW as compared to previous years' wherein we'd have only two to three recognizable names and PBA-ready guys.