ALASKA Aces team owner Wilfred S. Uytengsu explained that he did not propose a special draft for the members of the Gilas Cadets national team but rather for them to be part of the coming regular 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Draft.
“I have been reading about how the PBA has accepted my proposal for the Gilas cadets joining the PBA draft and I would just like to clarify, that what they have said they will do is not my proposal at all. I have proposed that the Gilas cadets join the PBA draft, not that we create a separate draft for them,” said Uytengsu in a statement.
The Alaska team owner said the purpose of the PBA Draft was to create parity in the league for better competition. This is why teams with the worst records get the early picks to strengthen their lineups.
“First, the draft allows the weaker teams to draft earlier bringing in new talent to teams that need it the most, and the stronger teams have to draft later. It is a tremendous opportunity for teams like Blackwater and Mahindra to draft two future league superstars from Gilas, or to acquire a talented player who can play for them immediately,” he said.
Second, allowing the Gilas Cadets to join the PBA draft and not create a separate draft for them will make the PBA draft the most exciting draft that the league has ever seen.
“All of a sudden, teams have to decide whether or not they will draft a Gilas player who may not be available for 1-4 years, or they pick a player who is ready right now.
“For all of the diehard PBA fans, especially the ones that love fantasy basketball, everyone gets to look into and analyze the difficulty of the decisions that will be made in the draft. These are talking points that will last for years to come, and it puts pressure on the team managers and coaches to make good decisions,” said Uytengsu
Third, allowing the Gilas Cadets to join the PBA Draft avoids any controversy and need to continually set up different special drafts every year for the Gilas Cadets.
“What do we do when the Gilas cadets only want to get three players to add to their team? Do we hold a separate draft for only those three players? If so, how would we determine who gets to pick those three players? Is it the bottom three teams? If so, do they pick first again when the regular PBA draft begins? This would then defeat the original purpose of the PBA draft, which is to ensure parity,” said Uytengsu.
Fourth, it avoids creating a situation in the league which may encourage tanking.
“Trying to lose games so that you can get a pick in a special Gilas cadets draft, and an early first round pick is not good for the fans, it dishonors the game, and as such it is not good for the league,” he said.
Fifth, allowing the Gilas Cadets to join the PBA draft instead of creating a special draft for them, will prevent maneuvering to manipulate the draft for a specific team or group’s needs.
“So, to reiterate, having a separate Gilas cadets draft was never my idea and in fact runs counter to my idea. I believe what I proposed is the best situation for the PBA to show it’s whole hearted support for the national team, for the SBP to show its support for the PBA, providing the win-win situation that is above politics and what the Filipino fans deserve,” said Uytengsu.