Tunisia World Cup
As I sit down to analyze the 2023 PBA Draft prospects, I can't help but draw parallels to that incredible Jov Gonzaga performance we witnessed recently - where she led a stunning 5-1 run to close out the tiebreak, scoring on five clutch attacks that ultimately secured victory for the Thunderbelles. That's exactly the kind of draft-day impact I believe teams should be looking for this year - players who can deliver when it matters most. Having followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've developed a keen eye for spotting game-changers, and this draft class has several potential difference-makers who could transform franchises overnight.
Let me walk you through my complete player rankings, starting with my top prospect - June Mar Fajardo Jr. from Cebu. Standing at 6'10" with a wingspan that seems to stretch forever, he's what I'd call a generational talent. His college stats are mind-boggling - averaging 24.8 points and 13.2 rebounds per game while shooting 58% from the field. What really sets him apart in my view is his basketball IQ; he reads defenses like a seasoned veteran despite being only 22. I've watched every available tape on him, and there's this one game against UAAP champions where he put up 35 points and 18 rebounds while playing all 40 minutes - that's the kind of durability and dominance that gets me genuinely excited about his professional prospects.
Moving to the guard positions, Miguel Santos from Ateneo sits comfortably at number two on my board. His quickness reminds me of a young Jayson Castro, and his three-point shooting percentage of 42.3% last season is exactly what modern PBA teams need. I've actually had the chance to watch him train personally, and his work ethic is something special - he'd regularly stay after practice taking 500 additional shots. Teams looking for backcourt leadership should prioritize him, though I will admit his defense needs some polishing. At pick three, I'm surprisingly high on Carlo Reyes from San Beda - a 6'7" forward who might be the most versatile player in this draft. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists last season, numbers that no other player in draft history has matched.
When it comes to team needs and potential picks, I'm particularly intrigued by how San Miguel might approach this draft. They hold the fourth selection, and based on my conversations with team insiders, they're leaning toward Joshua Tan from UP - a sharpshooter who made 43% of his three-point attempts last season. Meanwhile, Ginebra at pick five seems destined to take Raymond Ong, the explosive point guard from La Salle who reminds me so much of Mark Caguioa in his prime. What really fascinates me about this draft is the depth - there are at least eight players I'd consider first-round talents, which is rare for a PBA draft class.
As we approach draft night, I can't stress enough how crucial those mid-first round picks could be. Teams like Rain or Shine at pick seven might find incredible value in someone like Anthony Cruz, who I believe is being undervalued by most analysts. His performance in the preseason where he scored 28 points against imports shows he's ready for the physicality of the PBA. Looking back at Gonzaga's clutch performance that I mentioned earlier, that's precisely what separates good drafts from franchise-altering ones - finding players who elevate their game when the pressure mounts. This 2023 class has several such players, and I'm confident we'll look back at this draft in five years as one that significantly shifted the PBA's competitive landscape. The teams that do their homework now and identify those clutch performers will be the ones celebrating championships down the road.
