PBA-DL adds rookie draft prior to 2014 season

The PBA Developmental League has announced the addition of a rookie draft prior to the start of the 2014 season, the league said in a statement on the official PBA Twitter account.

PBA D-LEAGUE Draft The PBA Developmental League will now require new players to apply for the Rookie Draft (cont) http://t.co/jPvypUO1XP

— pbaconnect (@pbaconnect) August 24, 2013

In the past, clubs were free to sign any players without restrictions, but the introduction of the draft looks to even the playing field by reducing the number of 'super teams' with stacked rosters.

According to Rickie Santos, PBA director of operations, the D-League draft will be held on September 19, with an application period from August 27 until September 12.

“Team representatives were briefed on the rules and mechanics of the draft, as well as other league policies and new playing rules,” Santos said in the statement.

Santos added that the drafting order would be determined by how long a team has been in the league, and their finishes in the last two conferences. As a result, the tentative draft order will be Cafe France, Cebuana Lhuillier, Boracy Rum, Big Chill, Blackwater Sports and NLEX, followed by newer franchises Cagayan Valley, Hog's Breath, and Jumbo Plastic.

Any other new franchises will have their draft order determined by lottery.

The introduction of the draft does not exclude the possibility of school-based clubs from joining. Instead, so-called "varsity players" must be declared by the respective team, although they will lose their ability to play should the team lose or move away from its school-based designation.

To be designated as a school-base team, such a club must have at least six players with the above "varsity" tag.

In addition to the aforementioned nine teams, the league is expecting at least five more franchises to sign up. - AMD, GMA News