PBA draft combine
The PBA draft combine is an annual two-day event before the PBA draft. At the combine, rookie prospects undergo biometrics and perform various athletic tests and shooting drills. Then they are divided into teams and play 5-on-5 against each other in a mini-tournament. At the end of the tournament, an MVP and the Mythical Five are named.[1] Beginning in the Season 47 draft, rookies are also oriented on the Uniform Players Contract (UPC) during the combine.[2] An athlete's performance during the combine can affect perception, draft status, and ultimately the player's career.[3]
The athletic tests include both standing and running vertical jumps, three-quarter-court sprint time, reaction time, and lane agility time.[4] Previously, other physical tests included bench presses, push ups, sit ups, and pull ups.[5] Physical measurements include height, weight, reach, and wingspan.[6]
Attendance is mandatory for all rookie prospects, with those who didn't attend removed from the list of eligible participants.[7] However, those who have played for the Philippine national team are no longer required to participate, with an example being Javi Gómez de Liaño in the Season 47 draft.[8] Players may be excused if they are in another country, are playing for another team at the moment, or are injured, provided they inform the league ahead of time.[9][10][8]
The league previously held a rookie camp, a practice that began in 2003.[11][12] From 2012 to 2013, no scrimmages were held as only biometrics were taken.[13] In 2014, it was rebranded as the PBA draft combine, with scrimmages held once again.[3] In 2021, the draft combine was cancelled due to COVID-19 safety reasons.[14] It was brought back a year later.[15]
Awards
[edit]Draft combine MVPs
[edit]| Draft | Player | School / club team | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Jio Jalalon | Arellano / Caida Tile Masters | [16] |
| 2017 | Kiefer Ravena | Ateneo | [17] |
| 2018 | JP Calvo | Letran / Wang's Basketball Couriers | [18] |
| 2019 | Roosevelt Adams | College of Idaho / Go for Gold Scratchers | [19] |
| Season 46 | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | [14] | |
| Season 47 | Encho Serrano | De La Salle / Pampanga (NBL) / Basilan (MPBL) | [20] |
| Season 48 | Archie Concepcion | Arellano / Pampanga G Lanterns (MPBL) | [21] |
| Season 49 | Jonnel Policarpio | De La Salle | [22] |
| Season 50 | Sonny Estil | Letran / | [23] |
Draft combine Mythical Five
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Rookie applicants get tested in PBA Draft Combine". pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ "Rookie prospects undergo UPC orientation". www.pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Murillo, Michael Angelo S. (October 26, 2017). "Gatorade fueling the best athletes through the PBA Draft Combine". Retrieved July 21, 2024 – via PressReader.
- ↑ "Nonoy, Ramirez among top performers in Day 1 of Draft Combine". www.pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ "Air21 Eagles? Express to tap Ateneo's frontliners in PBA Rookie Draft". GMA News Online. August 16, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ Ramos, Gerry (July 10, 2024). "Jones Cup-bound Abarrientos, Tiongson, Ildefonso to miss out PBA Draft". Spin.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ "PBA Draft Combine, isasagawa sa unang pagkakataon". Balita. July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 "Who stood out at the PBA Rookie Combine ahead of Season 47 draft?". ESPN.com. May 12, 2022. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ Bacnis, Justine (July 10, 2024). "Sedrick Barefield to skip PBA Draft Combine, still in the U.S." Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ Dioquino, Delfin (July 10, 2024). "Top prospects Barefield, Abarrientos absent in PBA Draft Combine". Rappler. Archived from the original on July 10, 2024. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ Villar, Joey; Beltran, Nelson (August 8, 2005). "Washington looms as top PBA draft pick". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ "PBA.ph - ROOKIE CAMP MAY SPRING SOME SURPRISES". www.pba.ph. Archived from the original on April 28, 2006. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
- ↑ Ventura, Sid (October 28, 2013). "Fil-Am guard raises eyebrows at PBA Rookie Camp". Yahoo News. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 "PBA cancels draft combine for safety of participants". www.pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- ↑ "Two-day PBA Draft Combine set for return". www.pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 "Jalalon shines, leads Team C to top honors in Draft Combine tourney". www.pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Bacnis, Justine (October 24, 2017). "Kiefer Ravena lifts A-2 past Jeron Teng's B-3 in Draft Combine Finals". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Leongson, Randolph B. (December 13, 2018). "Guards JP Calvo, CJ Isit stand tallest in PBA combine tournament". Spin.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 "Potential top picks dominate Gatorade-PBA Draft Combine mini-tournament". pba.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Leongson, Randolph B. "Encho Serrano named PBA Combine MVP; Orlan Wamar tops 3-point contest". Spin.ph. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Dy, Richard (September 14, 2023). "Concepcion bags MVP plum in PBA Draft Combine | The Manila Times". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on September 16, 2023. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Bacnis, Justine (July 11, 2024). "Jonnel Policarpio wins PBA Draft Combine MVP". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- 1 2 Bacnis, Justine (September 5, 2025). "Sonny Estil shines in PBA Draft Combine games". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved September 5, 2025.
- ↑ Leongson, Randolph B. (August 20, 2015). "Norbert Torres shines in mini-tournament to cap 2nd day of PBA Draft Combine". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved July 21, 2024.