Facts and Figures About the 2015 Rookie Draft Applicants

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) just released the list of sixty-four (64) hopefuls that applied for the 2015 PBA Rookie Draft scheduled on 23 August at the Robinsons Midtown Ermita, Manila.

The last applicants are San Beda’s Jaypee Mendoza and Letran’s Kevin Racal, who submitted their applications at the league’s office in Libis, Quezon City, almost close to business operation last 7 August.

Only those who attend the Rookie Combine and submit all requirements will be eligible to join the draft. The final, official list of applicants will be released on 21 August or the day after the hopefuls undergoes a biometrical tests and scrimmages in the PBA Draft Combine on 19-20 August at the Gatorade Hoops Center, Mandaluyong City.

Here are some facts and figures, courtesy of Sports5.com portal, about this year’s rookie draft batch, with all information based on the data the players wrote on their application sheets:

• The tallest players are Moala Tautuaa of Chadron State/Cagayan/Cebuana Lhuillier, Roberto Hainga of UST/MP Hotel and Marion Magat of NU/Cagayan, all of whom have a listed height of six feet, seven inches.
• Additionally, four players have a listed height of six feet, six inches: Bradwyn Guinto of San Sebastian/Liver Marine, Michael Miranda of San Sebastian/Café France, Jeth Troy Rosario of NU/Hapee, and Norbert Torres of DLSU/Cebuana Lhuillier.
• The shortest is five-foot-five Mark Cruz of Letran/Cagayan, followed by five-foot-seven Eric Acuna of St. Clare. Mon Alvin Abundo of CEU/Café France and Roi Sumang of UE/Tanduay are both listed at five-foot-eight.
• Torres is the heaviest at 250 pounds, while Acuna and Eric Miraflores of UE are the lightest at 140 pounds.
• The oldest applicant is Miraflores, who listed his birthday as 16 November 1982, making him 33. The youngest is reigning NCAA MVP Earl Scottie Thompson, who just turned 22 last July 12.
• There are 19 players over the age of 25, or born before 1990.
• Defending UAAP champion National University has the most number of aspirants with six, followed by defending NCAA champion San Beda and UE with five each, and San Sebastian and La Salle with four each.
• Six players from the Gilas Cadets team that won the gold medal in the Singapore Southeast Asian Games are among the aspirants: Baser Amer, Glenn Khobuntin, Rosario, Thompson, Torres, and Almond Vosotros.
• There are 16 Fil-foreigners in the draft, led by consensus top pick Tautuaa.