Imagine a PBA future where Ray Parks, CJ Perez and Robert Bolick will not be traded

(c) PBA Media Bureau

Once in a while, a draft batch will exceed all expectations from the get-go. That is happening with the 2018 PBA draft. Their top 3 picks of CJ Perez, Bobby Ray Parks and Robert Bollick ended up with Jayson Castro and June Mar Fajardo in the top 5 of the BPC race.

It was a refreshing sight. Especially when we look back at the hype of the 2018 draft. It was nothing special. We have seen this before, guards dominating the top part of the selection.

What we did not expect was that all of the top 3 picks ended up to be legit franchise-level players. Unfortunately, the PBA has built its reputation as a league of power. Instead of salivating for the future of their favorite team, the fans of Columbian, Blackwater and Northport are anxious that any second their top rookie will be potched by one of the two conglomerates in the league.

Can you imagine a PBA with 12 independent teams? Can you imagine a PBA where Perez, Parks and Bollick remained with their team for at least the next five years?

Think about it.

Blackwater has a good young and in-prime core of Parks, Belo, DiGregorio, Maliksi, Tratter and Sumang. I do not think, that five can develop into a championship contender but do not forget that Blackwater is in line for a top 6 pick again in the upcoming draft.

How about Northport? They have a much better in-prime core than Blackwater. They did not reach the #2 seed this conference if Bolick, Tautuaa, Ferrer, Anthony and Taha are nothing special. With a good frontline rotation, Northport future is breaming with title possibilities.

Lastly, Columbian Dyip has always been the bottom-feeder. Yes, they do not always end up with the worst record in every conference but for the whole duration of their stint in the PBA, the PBA universe always look at them as one of the worst if not the worst.

Now, CJ Perez has entered the picture. He plays like a legit franchise-carrier and unlike the other blue-chip prospects in the past, he feels like he is actually embracing the challenge of carrying an unknown franchise. He has the it-factor to makeover their image. The question is, will they keep him?