The PBA is by all means not a perfect league, but there still seems to be demand for it on the player’s side.

Last year’s draft drew a record 128 prospects and while only 70 applied for the 2024 edition of the PBA Draft, the depth of this draft is nothing to downplay. Talented players from colleges here and abroad, along with players from professional leagues here and overseas joined what is technically the league’s first marquee event of the season. In the end, though, 48 of those 67 (three draft applicants were rejected during the draft process) players got to hear their names called.

The thing about drafts is that it’s part dream fulfillment and part timing. For the likes of Dave Ildefonso and RJ Abarrientos, it’s about continuing the family legacy as the next generation of great PBA players. And no, this isn’t another case of nepotism given their body of work both here and abroad.

For top selection Justine Baltazar, it’s pretty much time for him to take his game to the next level. After failed attempts to play professionally overseas, Baltazar has been dominating with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, winning championships and MVP awards in the tournaments the Giant Lanterns have competed in as of late.

Baltazar originally started out as a big man but with the help of then Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tab Baldwin, his potential as a wing player was unlocked. Right now, he’s as complete a player as there is and it wasn’t a difficult decision for the Converge FiberXers to select him.

From the side of the teams, perhaps it’s the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters who had a great night. Holding the seventh and eighth picks overall, the Elasto Painters had to see how the draft board lined up, but they were definitely happy with getting Caelan Tiongson and Felix Lemetti. Tiongson will join Keith Datu, Luis Villegas, Beau Belga, and Santi Santillan and provide a talented and deep Rain or Shine frontcourt that can bring them closer to the likes of the San Miguel Beermen and the Meralco Bolts.

The addition of Lemetti should help ease the workload of Andrei Caracut, Adrian Nocum, and Gian Mamuyac and allow them all to thrive off one another.

Meanwhile, the Bolts came into the draft knowing they had to support 2024 PBA Philippine Cup Finals MVP Chris Newsome, who carried Meralco and then Gilas Pilipinas on his shoulders. Selecting CJ Cansino, Jordan Bartlett, and Kurt Reyson definitely did just that. The addition of Cansino, in particular, gives the Bolts another playmaker and a solid defender that makes their lineup more switch-friendly. However, the hope is that he has gotten his health issues past him.

The Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ decision to acquire Stephen Holt, Isaac Go, and the third overall pick for Christian Standhardinger, Stanley Pringle, and the 10th overall pick drew the ire of some fans, but their decision to select Abarrientos is quite the gamble.

Sure, he’s quite the talent and he has shown he can create plays for himself and those around him, but how will he fare in Tim Cone’s system? The hope, of course, is that like his uncle Johnny, he will have his best years under Cone and that will be critical for the Gin Kings as well, especially since LA Tenorio will more likely than not retire soon and Scottie Thompson remains out with a bulging disk. His learning and maturation process will thus be critical as he will be tasked to address the gap.

Unfortunately, 19 players went undrafted, but there’s a chance they’ll end up like Josh Urbiztondo, Chico Lanete, and Jerwin Gaco, who’ve had long and productive careers in the PBA.

But as the talent has gotten better and filled up the benches, it again invites the conversations on the league expansion. The Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), the PBA’s closest rival locally, has 32 teams for this season, nearly triple the teams in the PBA. There are a ton of opportunities to be had there and if this year’s rookies don’t make the cut in the PBA this season, don’t be surprised to find them in the MBPL in time.

For a league that has drawn a ton of flak in recent years, the PBA must be happy with how the 2024 edition of its draft played out. Star power was definitely present and fans continued to chime in despite being frustrated with the league’s parity (or lack thereof).

If anything, the league should maximize the interest it still generates by spreading the wealth, although we may see the haves and have nots reveal themselves again in a few days. But alas, one can still dream that the league can move closer to being a better version of itself.