2015 PBA Mock Draft V 3.0

Come at me, bro.
(Photo credits to spin.ph)

Will Bobby Ray Parks, Jr. fulfill his NBA dreams? Or will he be forced to "settle" for this side of the world's oldest play-for-pay basketball league? Is Moala Tautuaa really that good? What if Troy Rosario ends up being the same player as one former UAAP All Star Kelvin Gregorio?

Ladies and gentlemen, here is the third version of what is starting to look more and more like a thin 2015 PBA Draft field (talent-wise). This time, we are going with "what the team needs right now" over the "best available talent" thinking to fill out the rest of the First Round.

12. Rain or Shine Elastopainters - Glenn Khobuntin, 6"4
Tailor-made for Yeng Guiao, fits the new RoS "TV friendly faces" image that the team has come to embrace the last two seasons. Perimeter big in the mold of old wards Ronnie Matias and Larry Rodriguez, though not as skilled.

11. Blackwater Elite (from Talk'n'Text) - Maverick Ahanmisi, 6"2
This team desperately needs a go-to-guy. There's that Ryan Wetherell cat and all the hype about him while playing in Vince Hizon's FBA... but if the UP MBT could win a legitimate basketball title over there the way their roster is right now...


10. San Miguel Beermen - Roi Sumang, 5"8
Bonbon Custodio's heir apparent. Let's see if he can bring his high scoring exploits with him into the pros.

9. Purefoods Star Hotshots - Norbert Torres, 6"6
Next season, with Marc Pingris advancing in age, who is STAR's next option in the pivot? Don Allado and Mick Pennisi are old. Yousef Taha still doesn't know how to play. Ian Sangalang will come off injury. Jerwin Gaco is the team mascot. Yep, just the kind of insurance big man Coach Tim needs.

8. Alaska Aces -  Scottie Thompson, 6"0 
Cyrus Baguio and Dondon Hontiveros are what? 70 combined? Time to get a young gun.

7. NLEX Road Warriors - Baser Amer, 6"0
Finally, a natural, true point guard for Coach Boyet Fernandez.

6. Meralco Bolts - Chris Newsome, 6"2
Easy homer pick for Coach Norman. Gary David's time is almost up.

5. Rain or Shine Elastopainters - Aljon Mariano, 6"3
Newfound sleeper pick. High IQ forward who has a nice jumper. Benta issues aside, Mariano is a solid player that no one talks about. Well, Coach Yeng picked Paul Lee when no one talked about him that one Gilas Draft year. (Also, as an RoS fan, where would we fit any of the guards: Newsome, Amer, Thompson, Sumang??? Torres? For what? Another 6"6 average scorer, average rebounder big boy? We have two of those. No thanks.)

4. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (from Barako Bull) - Garvo Lanete, 6"1 
Homer pick for Coach Frankie Lim, but also a logical one. They have the bigs, they have the guards-- but what they don't have is a shooter who can defend properly and play team-basketball. Lanete can run sets AND work off the ball, which is something that none of Ginebra's current guards are good at.

3. Meralco Bolts - Troy Rosario, 6"7
Position-less basketball in the works for Coach Norman. Mike Cortez Jarred Dillinger Sean Anthony Reynel Hugnatan and Rosario. Wow.

2. Kia Carnival - Ray Ray Parks, Jr., 6"4
Instant, TV-friendly and marketable star for head coach Manny Pacquiao. Seriously. If BRP is serious in making it into the NBA, he just needs to hook up with Pacquiao and lead his team to glory. The media buzz will be crazy, BRP will get his love, and scouts will be forced to pay attention. Win-win.

1. Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters (from Blackwater) - Moala Tautuaa, 6"7
Switched my 1st pick from the first two versions. Why? The more BRP chooses to try his luck in the NBA, the more we feel that TNT will look for a guy who can carry the team while everyone else is on loan to Gilas. Tautuaa is ineligible under current FIBA rules, which means that he can star when Ranidel de Ocampo and Jayson Castro are out. Oh, and he's the big guy the team has been lacking since Ali Peek retired.