A total of 66 players have made the final cut and are hoping to have their names called in the PBA Season 47 Draft on Sunday.
This year's pool is generally considered to be the weakest in recent years, but there remains a bunch of intriguing talents who could turn out to be legitimate contributors at the pro level down the line.
ESPN's Sid Ventura and Eros Villanueva share their predictions for the first round.
1.Blackwater Bossing
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (6-7, PF/C)
It's been a while since we saw Ganuelas-Rosser play 5-on-5, but his ability to create his own offense in the half-court and his active motor on both ends should translate immediately from the PBA 3x3 into the mother league. While he didn't see a ton of minutes in two seasons with Alab Pilipinas in the ASEANs Basketball League (ABL), tracking data from InStat suggest that the 27-year-old consistently does his damage best in the pick and roll, in transition, and even as a secondary scorer snacking on advantages created by his teammates. On a Blackwater team looking for that uber-talented big man to complement a plethora of talents led by Rey Suerte, RaShawn McCarthy, Baser Amer, and JVee Casio, Ganuelas-Rosser projects to be a snug fit. -- Eros Villanueva
2. Terrafirma Dyip
Justin Arana (6-5, PF/C)
Arana was a double-double machine for Arellano in the NCAA Season 97 bubble, putting up averages of 14.8 points (on 53.8% shooting) and 12.3 rebounds while adding 2.8 blocks. He impressed scouts at the Combine with his ability to set screens and move well in the paint, with one coach remarking that "he plays like a veteran." The Dyip have a few bigs in their lineup, but Aldrech Ramos isn't getting any younger and Eric Camson is undersized. Besides, in this weak draft, Arana is perhaps the best natural center. He should form a nice young twin towers tandem with Isaac Go. -- Sid Ventura
3. Converge Fiber Xers
Jeremiah Gray (6-5, G/F)
Converge probably won't mind waiting for Gray, who continues to rehab a torn ACL that should keep him out for a while. The 25-year-old fills a position of need at the wing, where the new franchise has looked thin even with the holdovers from the disbanded Alaska squad. Gray pairs his length and athleticism with a capability to score at all three levels; his shot trailed off in the ABL, where he only made 37.8% of his field goals in the 2019-20 season, but his idealized version might look closer to the gunner who sank 35% of his 8.1 three-point attempts through 53 games with NCAA Division II team Dominican University of California from 2016 to 2018. -- Eros Villanueva
4. Converge Fiber Xers (from Phoenix)
Jeo Ambohot (6-6, PF/C)
More of a roll man and a face-up big rather than a post-up force, Ambohot is efficient, can stretch his offense to the perimeter, and hit the occasional three -- all traits Converge could certainly use in the frontcourt given the current dearth in big men within the roster. In the ongoing NCAA season, the 25-year-old has averaged 10.6 points on a sterling 59% shooting, including a league-high 67.5 percent on 2s, as well as 9.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.1 assists in just 25 minutes for a Letran team currently in the finals. His frame and mobility might occasionally put him in bad spots on defense early in his PBA career, but Ambohot is scrappy, competes, and fits the mold of a low-usage big man that should thrive alongside more established talents. -- Eros Villanueva
5. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
Javi Gomez de Liaño (6-5, SG/SF)
Gomez de Liaño was part of the next wave of Filipino ballers who signed with Japan B.League clubs last year. While he didn't make much of an impact for the Ibaraki Robots, averaging just 3.06 points and 9.0 minutes per game in 35 games, he still shot a decent 36.2% from beyond the arc. His shooting prowess was also on display in three games for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers where he averaged 10.7 points on 50% shooting on 3s, including a perfect 4-for-4 against Thailand. With James Yap's PBA career up in the air, Gomez de Liaño would be an ideal replacement and a good fit on a team that took over 33 3-point attempts per game last season. -- Sid Ventura
6. NorthPort Batang Pier
JM Calma (6-5, PF/C)
Assuming the impasse between NorthPort and Greg Slaughter goes unresolved, Calma could end up being a good add for a team suddenly in dire need of another big. In San Sebastian, the 24-year-old delivered 16.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks in over 32 minutes, holding his own on defense while scoring frequently, both in traditional big man play-types or in self-created looks. Efficiency was a bit of an issue (41.5% from the field), but his free throw shooting (78.6%) and willingness to space the floor from beyond the arc (27.5% on 4.4 attempts) suggest that with a more refined shot diet in the pros, Calma will be able to make a much bigger impact while retaining the diversity he has flashed in the amateurs. -- Eros Villanueva
7. NLEX Road Warriors
Gian Mamuyac (6-0, SG)
An NLEX assistant said during the Combine that they weren't looking to fill any particular need in the draft, so they might instead be on the lookout for system players. Mamuyac is a smart, competitive player with a good work ethic and reliable outside shooting. In other words, he's the type of player Yeng Guiao loves to coach. Mamuyac shot a decent 35.8% on triples for Ateneo in Season 84 in just under 18 minutes per game and did a little bit of everything on both ends of the floor. The Road Warriors' guard rotation is loaded with Kevin Alas, Don Trollano, Mike Nieto and Philip Paniamogan, but "Mamu" has shown he has what it takes to earn a coach's trust. -- Sid Ventura
8. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
Kurt Lojera (6-1, SG)
With Ginebra's frontcourt and backcourt rotation more or less set, Ginebra could do a lot worse than adding another guard capable of playing up to the wing in smaller lineups like Lojera. His shot comes and goes (27.3% from deep this year after hitting 30% in Season 82), but the 25-year-old is a pretty productive creator as a pick and roll ball-handler, in catch-and-shoot situations, or when shooting or getting to the rim off of screens, per InStat. He also checks out as a good defender on paper (1.6 steals) and on film, which should only boost his case as a lottery pick in this lean draft. -- Eros Villanueva
9. Blackwater Bossing (from SMB via TNT)
Shaun Ildefonso (6-1, SG/SF)
It was difficult for Ildefonso to showcase his skills on an NU Bulldogs team that had no player averaging in double digits in points and more than 22 minutes of playing time. One look at Ildefonso's numbers and nothing stands out: 6.1 ppg on 39% shooting. But the eldest son of Danny I. impressed a number of coaches at the Combine with his basketball IQ. The Bossing also need to beef up their wing rotation where they only have Rey Suerte and Paul Desiderio, so Ildefonso could be a good fit. -- Sid Ventura
10. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (from Meralco)
Tyler Tio (6-0, SG)
Tio is a player who can pile up the points when needed and also be disciplined enough to play within a system, as he has done with the Blue Eagles. He only averaged 7.4 points in around 14 minutes of playing time per contest in UAAP Season 84, but he would be a good addition to the Elasto Painters' guard rotation where he would be reunited with former college teammates Anton Asistio and Mike Nieto. -- Sid Ventura
11. Blackwater Bossing (from TNT)
Encho Serrano (5-11, PG/SG)
At this point, the Bossing really don't need another rookie, so they may just pick the best available talent. Serrano is an intriguing prospect in that he will probably need to play the point in the pros, even though he has been a shooting guard for most of his career. Serrano played two seasons at DLSU before taking his act to the NBL and finally to Ginebra's 3x3 team. His speed and athleticism could provide a spark for a languid Blackwater offense that put up just 79 points per game in the last Philippine Cup. -- Sid Ventura
12. Magnolia
Allen Mina (6-3, G/F)
The unheralded Mina feels like a surprising choice here, but he ticks some boxes: he possesses the size to be a wing at the PBA level, the ability to knock down shots in limited usage, is an elite defender, and has the championship experience to boot -- the trappings of a blue-collar player that should thrive in a defensive-minded Magnolia team. The raw totals seem meager (6.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 0.8 steals in 16 minutes) and his shot a little inconsistent (27.8% on 4.0 attempts), but a steady stroke at the line (4/4 this year, 87.5% in Season 97) might be good indicators of a floor-spacer/3&D guy waiting to be polished in the pros. -- Eros Villanueva