I still remember the excitement buzzing through the Mall of Asia Arena back in October 2016 when the PBA Draft unfolded. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've witnessed numerous draft classes, but the 2016 batch stands out as particularly fascinating in hindsight. What makes it memorable isn't just the star power at the top, but how several mid-to-late picks developed into crucial rotation players, and how some seemingly promising selections never quite lived up to their potential. Looking back seven years later, we can properly evaluate how these careers have unfolded, which teams drafted wisely, and which franchises might still be kicking themselves over missed opportunities.
The obvious headline from that draft was the 1-2 punch of Raphael Bostic and Carl Bryan Cruz going first and second respectively. Bostic to TNT was about as predictable as Manila traffic - everyone saw it coming, but that didn't make it any less significant. The six-foot-eight center immediately transformed TNT's frontcourt, averaging 21.3 points and 13.7 rebounds in his rookie season, numbers that still impress me when I look them up. What many casual fans might not remember is how close Phoenix came to trading that second pick before ultimately selecting Cruz, who brought a unique combination of length and outside shooting that was somewhat unconventional for Filipino forwards at that time. I've always felt Cruz never fully got the recognition he deserved - his ability to stretch the floor while defending multiple positions made him incredibly valuable in modern PBA schemes.
Now, when we get to the fourth pick is where things get particularly interesting from my perspective. Northport selecting Chris Koon raised more than a few eyebrows in the arena that day. Don't get me wrong - Koon had shown flashes of brilliance in the amateur ranks, but many analysts, myself included, had projected him to go somewhere between picks 8-12. Northport clearly saw something they liked, betting on his versatility and basketball IQ over more physically imposing prospects. Looking back, I'll admit I was somewhat skeptical about the pick initially, but Koon proved to be a solid, if not spectacular, rotation player for the Batang Pier. What impressed me most was his development curve - he wasn't an immediate star, but he worked diligently to expand his game each season. His three-point percentage jumped from 28% in his rookie year to a respectable 36% by his third season, showing his commitment to improving weaknesses. In today's positionless basketball environment, players like Koon who can handle multiple assignments have become increasingly valuable, even if they don't fill up the stat sheet in dramatic fashion.
The middle part of that draft produced several players who've had longer careers than many initially projected. Joseph Eriobu going to Star at pick 13 stands out as tremendous value - he's become a reliable energy big who's bounced around several teams but always finds a roster spot because of his relentless rebounding and defensive effort. Meanwhile, Philip Paniamogan at pick 18 to Alaska provided shooting depth that several teams passed on, including my own former squad who I won't name but definitely should have considered him more seriously. What fascinates me about reviewing these mid-round selections is recognizing how player evaluation has evolved since 2016. Teams placed more emphasis on traditional positional requirements back then, sometimes overlooking specialists who could fill specific modern needs.
As we move into the later rounds, the draft produced its usual share of misses, but also a couple of pleasant surprises. Jom Sollano at pick 21 never quite found his footing in the PBA, while Gelo Alolino at pick 12 has carved out a respectable career as a backup point guard. The real steal in my opinion? Michael Miranda at pick 29 - he's developed into a reliable rotation big who understands his role perfectly. When I talk to scouts today, many admit they underestimated Miranda's basketball IQ and defensive positioning, qualities that don't always jump out in pre-draft workouts but prove invaluable during actual games.
Reflecting on the entire 2016 draft class seven years later, what strikes me is how the success stories weren't necessarily the most athletic or statistically dominant college players, but those with the adaptability to grow within professional systems. The PBA's unique structure, with its multiple conferences and import rules, requires a specific kind of resilience and versatility that's difficult to project during the draft process. Teams that prioritized basketball IQ and work ethic generally fared better than those chasing pure physical tools. The 2016 draft also marked something of a transition period in how teams valued different skills - we started seeing more emphasis on shooting and switchability on defense, trends that have only accelerated in recent years.
What I find myself wondering about sometimes is how different teams' fortunes might have been with just a couple of different selections. What if Phoenix had traded that second pick as originally rumored? What if Northport had gone with a different direction instead of Chris Koon? These hypotheticals are part of what makes draft retrospectives so compelling. The 2016 class may not have produced a generation-defining superstar, but it provided the league with numerous quality rotation players who've contributed meaningfully to their teams. As someone who analyzes basketball for a living, I've come to appreciate that successful drafts aren't just about landing franchise players - they're about building sustainable roster depth, and by that measure, the 2016 PBA Draft delivered reasonably well for several franchises.
