In the PBA Season 47 Rookie Draft, which will be conducted in September; Terrafirma will once again select first, but Rain or Shine is also expected to secure top picks from a potentially talented group of rookies in Asia’s first professional league.

Unofficial calculations indicate that the Dyip, owned by Alvarez, are predicted to pick first again in the Season 46 draft after the Alvarez-owned team placed eleventh in the Governor’s Cup and last in the Philippine and Commissioner’s Cups.

The same opportunity presented itself to Terrafirma in subsequent years, with CJ Perez being selected first overall in 2018, Roosevelt Adams in 2019, and Joshua Munzon in 2020. Strangely, none of them are still employed by the Dyip franchise.

Despite finishing in eighth place in the Philippine Cup, Blackwater will pick second after selecting the now-NLEX cager Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser first last season. In both the Commissioner’s Cup and the Governors’ Cup, The Bossing finished in 12th place.

Yet Rain or Shine, which will choose third and fourth in the upcoming draft, has a chance to also strike it rich.

The Elasto Painters will select fourth in the first round in addition to their own pick at third, using a draft right they got from Phoenix Super LPG as part of the Javee Mocon dealing in June 2022.

After placing ninth in the Philippine Cup, eighth in the Commissioner’s Cup, and tenth in the Governors’ Cup, Rain or Shine is now in an ideal position to begin its rebuilding.

Yeng Guiao, the coach of Rain or Shine, recently affirmed that history is repeating itself with the Nos. 3 and 4. While still playing for NLEX, Guiao had the same picks at the PBA Season 46 draft in 2020; however, the fourth pick was traded to TNT, a sibling team, in exchange for Mikey Williams.

The team’s conference rankings, with 40% of the ranking points coming from the Philippine Cup and 30% each from the Commissioner’s and Governors’ Cups, determine the order of the draft.

The PBA has not yet received applications, but if the rookie draft gets closer, there are certain well-known players that might be on the list. The draft is still scheduled for September.

Following his unsuccessful attempt to play professional basketball in Korea and Japan, Justine Baltazar might be the star of the Season 47 draft. He also submitted an application for the 2017 draft but withdrew since he had been offered a position with the Japan B.League’s Hiroshima Dragonflies.

The former La Salle and Gilas Pilipinas player is now competing in the Philippines Super League for his native province of Pampanga.

Sedrick Barefield, a University of Utah product who was unable to participate in the Season 46 selection because he neglected to submit all of his criteria to the league, is another great potential. Barefield participated in the P.League+ for the Taiwan Fubon Braves and the EASL Champions Week for the Bay Area Dragons after being excluded from the PBA draft.

Due to his strong association with Alex Cabagnot, one of the people in charge of the FilAm Nation organization, Barefield might also be at the top of Terrafirma’s list.

Schonny Winston of La Salle, who was chosen to the Gilas Pilipinas pool for Window Six of the Fiba Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers and the upcoming 32nd Southeast Asian Games, is also anticipated to be in the discussion after being a candidate for MVP in the UAAP Season 85.

Will Gozum, the NCAA’s MVP for Season 98, could possibly be considered for the forthcoming draft, although he still has one year left on his College of Saint Benilde scholarship. Even last year, head coach Charles Tiu admitted that Gozum has offers from abroad.

Even Kobe Paras, who was released by Japan B.League Division II team Altiri Chiba, might be high on the list of teams if he decides to return to the Philippines. He also played for Niigita Albirex BB in Division I.

As Ricci Rivero’s time with Taiwan was cut short, he is also qualified to register for the draft. The former La Salle and University of the Philippines standout, who dabbles in acting, most recently participated in PBA 3×3 for Blackwater Red Presidents.