Best PBA draft class ever

[erichubert]

Hi guys, we all know that in the NBA, the draft class of 96, 03 and 84 are widely regarded as the best ever. There have been a lot of analysis regarding this and different arguments have been given for each class. How about the PBA, which class do you think is the best?
Personally, I think of course the batch of 1988 and 1989 was the best and deepest. 88 had Lastimosa, Patrimonio, Codinera, Tanuan, Magsanok and Capacio. While 89 had Paras, Asaytono, Alvarez and the biggest steal of all Agustin. 93 wasn't bad too with Limpot, Pablo, Abbarientos and Racela. What do you guys think?

[Howard the Duck]

2000 ;D

[Sam Miguel]

I don't know if the 1988 "Patrimonio" rookie class can be considered a top draft class, considering the core of that rookie class practically went en masse to a then-fledgling Purefoods franchise. I don't even recall who went Number 1 that year.

I'd say the 1989 rookie class would be the better Draft Class, with two-time MVP (including the first ever ROY-MVP) Benjie Paras at the top of that Class. It also included one-time scoring king Nelson Asaytono, many-time champion pointguard Dindo Pumaren, and Mr Excitement Bong Alvarez, one of only two or three Filipinos to ever see action in a modern American Pro League (together with Vince Hizon for a team coached by Daryl Dawkins). I believe Zaldy Realubit, Peter Aguilar, Nani Demegillo, Boy Cabahug, Ricric Marata and another MVP and multiple PBA champion, Ato Agustin, were also part of that Draft Class.

I believe Jun Limpot, Vic Pablo and Johnny A were in the Class of 1991, not 1993. I think Noli Locsin was the top pick of the 1993 Draft Class, the same one that included EJ Feihl, Kenneth Duremdes, Jeff Cariaso and the legendary Dodot Jaworski, a neoptism pick if ever there was one.

[bluebruiser90]

^The 1988 PBA No. 1 Draft Pick was Jack Tanuan who also went to Purefoods.*

[irateluvmachine]

it's the 1989 draft class for me...hands-down. ;D

[erichubert]

Limpot, Pablo and Johnny A. were part of the 93 batch. Noli Locsin was no.1 pick of the 94 draft with Evangelista, Victoria. The 95 batch was also good with Espino, Duremdes and Cariaso but it also produced a lot of disappointments in Feihl, Dudut and Bryant Punzalan.
I forgot about the 2003 draft that featured Mike Cortez, Enrico V., Jimmy Alapag, Harvey Carey, Cablay and Mamaril, I think Baguio was even a 2nd rounder that year so that should also get prime consideration.
On the other hand 2000 was probably the worst ever and I hope we would not get another draft like that. Imagine the 2nd pick being Marc Victoria who never really got to play much in the league. I think other members of the draft were Paolo Mendoza and Dino Aldeguer.

[Sam Miguel]

I stand corrected on the draft years for Limpot et al.

I got confused there because I was equating Limpot's Draft Class to the core of the 1991 SEA Games team.

So the likes of Vergel Meneses and Bong Ravena actually turned pro earlier than their SEA Games teammates.

Which Draft Class included Bong Solomon then?

[erichubert]

If I am not mistaken Solomon was part of the 92 batch of Vergel Meneses, Bong Ravena, Bong Hawkins. I remember he played for the 1991 SEAG team too that won the gold here in Manila. The 1991 draft was full of busts too including Eugene Quilban and Alex Araneta. I think the only player who really made it from this class was Art dela Cruz.

[irateluvmachine]

^class of '91 was arguably the worst draft class till the class of 2000 (paolo mendoza, marc victoria, dino aldeguer, etc.) came around. aside from araneta and quilban (who was okay in his first few years, in all fairness), the class of '91 featured such luminaries ::) like ronnie lucero (played a grand total of ONE GAME for shell, who drafted him) and jun tiu, who has the dubious distinction of being one of very few first-round draftees never to play in the PBA.

[kryptonite]

PBA Draft Class (including some Direct Draftees and Fil-foreign direct hires) partial list

1986
Valenciano, Cuenco, Ampalayo, Cui, Merced (Samboy Lim, Calma, Teng, Pumaren, Elmer Reyes, Graves, Almario, Ytturi, Dignadice)
1987
Caidic, Solis, Harmon Codinera, Salazar, Anthony Mendoza, Dennis Carbonilla
1988
Tanuan, Magsanoc, Jalmasco, Polistico, Joel Santos (Patrimonio, Lastimosa, Capacio, Codinera)
1989
Paras, Asaytono, Alvarez, Realubit, Romy Dela Rosa, Bobby Jose, Cabahug, Pumaren, Marata, Demegillo, Agustin
1990
Jao, Jun Reyes, Babilonia, Bognot, Villanil, Villarias, Postanes, Esplana, Angeles
1991
Araneta, Hawkins, Quilban, Gayoso, Santamaria, Palad
1992
Meneses, Solomon, Escobar, Ramas, Ravena, Eric Reyes, Sasan, Chuatico, Jabar, BALINGIT, Guanio
1993
Limpot, Pablo, Abarrientos, Lago, Cheng, Cardel, Boyet Fernandez, Bachmann, Racela, Delantes
1994
Locsin, Evangelista, Victoria, Ticzon, Juinio, Castelo, Falcasantos, Hizon, Ong, Naron, Bolado, Jonas Mariano, Belmonte
1995
Espino, Feihl, Duremdes, Chris Jackson, Punzalan, Cariaso, Edmund Reyes, Elmer Lago, Jojo Lim, Bal David, Orquillas, Jaworski,
1996
Aquino, Rodney Santos, Ruben Dela Rosa, Gamboa, Morelos, Peter Martin, Fran
1997
Andy Seigle, Belasco, Webb, Ballesteros, Gabby Cui, Edward Naron, Tonyboy Espinosa
1998
Ildefonso, Castillo, Peek, Encarnacion, Antonio, Calpito, Henry Fernandez, Steven Smith, Jasper Ocampo, Dualan
1999
Alvarado, Robin Mendoza, Erwin Luna, Gahol, Yee, Buenaventura, Allado, Gerard Francisco, Belano (Menk, Taulava, Seigle, Walkvist, Tony Dela Cruz)
2000
Paolo Mendoza, Marc Victoria, Aldeguer, Gumatay, Billones (Raymundo, Tugade, Valenzuela, Torion, Harp, Pennisi)
2001
Miller, Hrabak, Cagouia, Demape, Arigo, Adriano, Ortiguera, Mente, Morano, Tangkay
2002
De Ocampo, Reavis, Omanzie Rodriguez, Calaguio, Se, Noble, Canlas, Ritualo, Avenido, Bajar, Dimaunahan
2003
Cortez, Adducul, Laure, Carey, Cablay, Mamaril, Enrico Villanueva, Alapag, Salvacion, Tubid, Baguio
2004
Alvarez, Yap, Pingris, R. De Ocampo, Thoss, Lopez, Sotto, Omolom, W. Gonzales, Artadi, Wilson
2005
Washington, Cabagnot, Miranda, Salvador, Cardona, Canaleta, Holper, Hubalde, Najorda, Manalo, Fonacier, Bugia
2006
Williams, Santos, Yeo, tenorio, Espinas, Isip, Aban, Bautista
2007
Devance, Eman, Ryan Reyes, Intal, Kramer, Bono, Quinahan, Aljamal, Jonas Villanueva, Arana

[Mateen Cleaves]

^class of '91 was arguably the worst draft class till the class of 2000 (paolo mendoza, marc victoria, dino aldeguer, etc.) came around. aside from araneta and quilban (who was okay in his first few years, in all fairness), the class of '91 featured such luminaries ::) like ronnie lucero (played a grand total of ONE GAME for shell, who drafted him) and jun tiu, who has the dubious distinction of being one of very few first-round draftees never to play in the PBA.


I'd still take '91 over '90 just because of Bong Hawkins. IMO, Esplana had the best career in the 1990 class, as listed by kryptonite.

Also, regardless of how Quilban subsequently wasted his career, he was still much better than Jun Reyes.

[erichubert]

I agree, looking at the list I think the 90 batch was way worse, I thought Hawkins came from the 92 batch, since he came from the 91 batch that made that year much better. I think from the list we can see some of the greatest draft blunders in the PBA. For me some of the biggest were:
1.) San Miguel drafting Bryant Punzalan over Jeffrey Cariaso and then seeing Cariaso win the ROY.
2.) Presto drafting Apet Jao no. 1 overall when they had Caidic back then playing most of the minutes at the 2 spot.
3.) Alaska selecting Alex Araneta over Bong Hawkins in 91.
4.) Talk N Text passing on John Arigo and drafting Gilbert Demape instead (btw, I wonder where he is now?).
5.) Rich Alvarez going no.1 overall, if the draft were to be redone now, I think he might fall somewhere late in the 1st round.
6.) The 2003 draft, somehow those drafted in the late first round and the 2nd round (Villanueva, Alapag, Tubid, Baguio and Salvacion) have had much better careers than their counterparts drafted earlier (Mamaril, Adducul, Laure, Cablay and Carey).

[pio_valenz]

I don't know if the 1988 "Patrimonio" rookie class can be considered a top draft class, considering the core of that rookie class practically went en masse to a then-fledgling Purefoods franchise. I don't even recall who went Number 1 that year.

I'd say the 1989 rookie class would be the better Draft Class, with two-time MVP (including the first ever ROY-MVP) Benjie Paras at the top of that Class. It also included one-time scoring king Nelson Asaytono, many-time champion pointguard Dindo Pumaren, and Mr Excitement Bong Alvarez, one of only two or three Filipinos to ever see action in a modern American Pro League (together with Vince Hizon for a team coached by Daryl Dawkins). I believe Zaldy Realubit, Peter Aguilar, Nani Demegillo, Boy Cabahug, Ricric Marata and another MVP and multiple PBA champion, Ato Agustin, were also part of that Draft Class.*


Yup, I agree. '89 was perhaps the best rookie class, with '88 a close second. In fact, those two rookie batches were so loaded with talent that in 1989 the PBA decided to have a Rookies-Sophomores vs. Veterans format for its All-Star Game. The vets won by two, thanks to a Jaworski-to-Fernandez play in the dying seconds.

[irateluvmachine]

^class of '91 was arguably the worst draft class till the class of 2000 (paolo mendoza, marc victoria, dino aldeguer, etc.) came around.* aside from araneta and quilban (who was okay in his first few years, in all fairness), the class of '91 featured such luminaries* ::) like ronnie lucero (played a grand total of ONE GAME for shell, who drafted him) and jun tiu, who has the dubious distinction of being one of very few first-round draftees never to play in the PBA.


I'd still take '91 over '90 just because of Bong Hawkins. IMO, Esplana had the best career in the 1990 class, as listed by kryptonite.

Also, regardless of how Quilban subsequently wasted his career, he was still much better than Jun Reyes.


oo nga pala no...si hawkins pala class of '91. class of '90 had quite a lot of busts, but it was deeper overall.

[Emon74]

1989 and 1993 were the best PBA draft class, I think Racela and Cardel were pick in the second round in '93, worst draft class was 1997, where two fil-ams started it all, Andy Seigle and Nick Belasco, the best local talent in '97 was Jason Webb, picked number 3 overall, his career didnt lasts long.

[irateluvmachine]

1989 and 1993 were the best PBA draft class, I think Racela and Cardel were pick in the second round in '93, worst draft class was 1997, where two fil-ams started it all, Andy Seigle and Nick Belasco, the best local talent in '97 was Jason Webb, picked number 3 overall, his career didnt lasts long.


cardel was picked in the 1st round by alaska. didn't have much of a PBA career though, being an undersized 2. racela was a 3rd-rounder if i'm not mistaken. backup PG ng purefoods for his first few years, before emerging as a superstar for SMB...

[Joescoundrel]

^ I believe John Cardel went to Alaska at a time when the then-Milk Men had both Jojo Lastimosa and Paul Alvarez. No way Cardel was going to get a break with those two on the lineup.

[Emon74]

^ I believe John Cardel went to Alaska at a time when the then-Milk Men had both Jojo Lastimosa and Paul Alvarez. No way Cardel was going to get a break with those two on the lineup.


Paul Alvarez was part of the Alaska lineup in the first conference of 1993 but didnt play and was vocal about wanting out of the team, still Johnedel Cardel couldnt find a right team in the PBA, I think he'd be better off with San Miguel (where he used to play with in the amateurs) around 1995.

[Mel]

I remember with Paul Alvarez, Jojo Lastimosa, and Cardel that Alaska then had the monicker "Alaska Air Force".

[Emon74]

it's the 1989 draft class for me...hands-down. ;D


the 1989 draft class has to be the best, and among the 30 aspirants, lima ang hindi na pick dun, and one of those is now head coach, Junel Baculi!