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PBA aspirants with live contracts no longer allowed to join draft

Sports | Basketball

PBA aspirants with live contracts no longer allowed to join draft

By Reynald I. Magallon

At A Glance

The PBA is no longer allowing aspiring players to join the draft if they still have live contracts with other teams outside the league, commissioner Willie Marcial disclosed following the board meeting last weekend.

The PBA is no longer allowing aspiring players to join the draft if they still have live contracts with other teams outside the league, commissioner Willie Marcial disclosed following the board meeting last weekend.

According to the new rule, the players need to have no contractual obligations by the date of the filing of their intent to join the rookie draft.

The ruling also came after the teams were left to be waiting for their draftees to finish their season in the other leagues before formally making the jump to the PBA.

It has been a practice in the recent draft classes that the aspiring players would throw their names to the PBA draft despite still playing in the MPBL or any other professional league.

Just in the last PBA Draft alone, a handful of players have yet to make their debut in the PBA Season 50 including top overall pick Geo Chiu of Terrafirma. Some already played with their respective team but not after skipping most of their team’s games.

The new rule would allow the PBA teams to immediately utilize their new picks.

“Ito para hindi na kailangan ng mga teams magagamit na nila agad yung kanilang mga rookies,” said Marcial.

The rule, however, will be effective by the next PBA draft which is likely to happen by January 2027 due to the longer than usual PBA 50th Season.

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