A big man from a southern province is expected to be the top pick in the 2012 Philippine Basketball Association Rookie Draft.
Petron is likely to use its No. 1 pick on 6'10" center June Mar Fajardo in the draft, which takes place at the Robinson's Midtown Mall in Ermita, Manila, on Sunday.
Fajardo played for the University of Cebu before suiting up for San Miguel Beer in the ASEAN Basketball League this past season. He averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in the ABL.
Alaska, meanwhile, is expected to tap either Calvin Abueva or Cliff Hodge as the second overall pick.
Abueva is a do-it-all forward who is still playing for San Sebastian College in the National Collegiate Athletics Association. Nicknamed "The Beast," Abueva led the Stags to the 2011 Philippine Collegiate Champions League crown.
He was also part of the SSC NCAA champion team in 2009 and the NLEX squad that won the first three PBA Developmental League championships.
Hodge, meanwhile, played college ball at Reedley College before transferring to Hawaii Pacific University in the United States. The Fil-Am forward is the reigning D-League MVP and was a team-mate of Abueva at NLEX. Hodge also played for the national team that won the gold medal in last year's Southeast Asian Games in Indonesia.
Other players who are expected to be picked in the first round are Chris Tiu, Chris Ellis, Alex Mallari, Vic Manuel, Dave Marcelo and Aldrech Ramos.
Below is the complete draft order:
Round 1
1 Petron Blaze Boosters (from Barako Bull via Air21)
2 Alaska Aces
3 Petron Blaze Boosters (from Barako Bull Energy)
4 Meralco Bolts
5 Barako Bull Energy (from Petron Blaze Boosters)
6 Barangay Ginebra Kings (from Barako Bull via Powerade Tigers)
7 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
8 Barangay Ginebra Kings
9 B-Meg Llamados
10 Powerade Tigers (from Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters)
Round 2
1 Air21 Express (from Alaska Aces)
2 B-Meg Llamados (from Barako Bull via Air21)
3 B-Meg Llamados (from Barako Bull Energy)
4 Powerade Tigers (from Meralco Bolts)
5 Barako Bull Energy (from Petron Blaze Boosters)
6 Barako Bull Energy (from Powerade Tigers)
7 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
8 Barako Bull Energy (from Barangay Ginebra Kings)
9 Alaska Aces (from Barako Bull via B-Meg)
10 Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters
Round 3
1 Alaska Aces
2 Air21 Express
3 Barako Bull Energy
4 Meralco Bolts
5 Petron Blaze Boosters
6 Powerade Tigers
7 Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
8 Barangay Ginebra Kings
9 B-Meg Llamados
10 Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters
Note: The Powerade Tigers franchise has been bought by the Mikee Romero-owned Global Port Inc.
