I still remember the buzz surrounding the 2018 PBA Draft like it was yesterday. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, that particular draft class felt special from the start. The tension in the arena was palpable, with team executives huddled together and prospects nervously awaiting their fate. What made it even more memorable was how teams like PLDT handled their preparations - players sharing scenes inside their gym and setting up those improvised karaoke sessions to ease the pressure. Those behind-the-scenes moments really humanized the whole process and gave us fans a glimpse into the lives of these young athletes before they became professionals.
The first round saw some franchise-altering selections that would shape team rosters for years to come. CJ Perez going first overall to Columbian Dyip was hardly surprising - the guy had been tearing up the D-League with averages of around 28.7 points per game. What impressed me most about Perez wasn't just his scoring ability but his seamless transition to the pro level. I've always believed that the best prospects are those who can contribute immediately, and Perez proved exactly that by winning Rookie of the Year honors. Meanwhile, Bobby Ray Parks Jr.'s selection by Blackwater at number two created quite the storyline, given his much-publicized journey through the NBA G League. His decision to return home and dominate locally showed that sometimes the best career moves aren't about chasing overseas dreams but about finding where you can make the most impact.
What fascinates me about evaluating drafts years later is seeing how player development trajectories differ. Take Javee Mocon, for instance - selected sixth by Rain or Shine. Many analysts, myself included, thought he'd be a solid role player at best, but his evolution into a reliable two-way threat has been remarkable. His scoring improved from roughly 11.2 points in his rookie year to nearly 16.4 by his third season, showing that sometimes the mid-first round picks can provide the best value. On the flip side, I can't help but feel disappointed by how some highly-touted prospects like Bong Quinto haven't quite lived up to their draft positions, though Quinto has settled into being a decent rotation player for Meralco.
The second round produced what I consider the steal of the draft - Abu Tratter falling to Alaska at 13th overall. I remember watching his college games and thinking he had first-round talent, so seeing him available that late was shocking. His development into a starting-caliber big man demonstrates why teams need to trust their scouting over consensus rankings. Meanwhile, players like Trevis Jackson and JP Calvo have carved out nice careers as backup guards, proving that draft position ultimately means very little once you're in the league. What's interesting is how many of these players came from teams that employed those team-building activities similar to PLDT's approach - those karaoke sessions and shared meals creating chemistry that translated to on-court performance.
Looking back five years later, I'd grade this draft class as above average but not exceptional. While it produced several All-Stars and quality starters, it lacked the transcendent talent that defines truly great draft classes. About 65% of the players selected are still in the league today, which is a decent retention rate, though I'd expected more players to have developed into franchise cornerstones by now. The class's real strength lies in its depth - teams found quality rotation players well into the second round, which is rarer than most fans realize.
What strikes me most about tracking these players' journeys is how their career paths have diverged. Some, like Perez, have become faces of the franchise, while others have bounced around multiple teams searching for the right fit. The players who shared those pre-draft bonding moments - the gym workouts and improvised karaoke sessions - seem to have developed better chemistry with their teams, suggesting that off-court connections might translate to on-court performance more than we typically acknowledge. It's these human elements that often get lost in pure statistical analysis but can make all the difference in a player's development.
As we approach another draft season, the 2018 class serves as a valuable case study in talent evaluation. It teaches us that while first-round picks grab headlines, the real draft wins often come from finding gems in later rounds and developing them properly. The success stories from this class remind me why I love following the PBA - watching raw talents evolve into professionals, seeing teams' strategic visions come to life, and appreciating how those informal team activities during draft preparation can set the foundation for successful careers. This particular draft might not have produced a generation-defining superstar, but it gave us plenty of compelling basketball and reminded us that the journey from prospect to professional is as much about character as it is about talent.