PBA: Rain or Shine wants re-draw of ‘unprofessional’ draft lottery

Moments after steering Rain or Shine to a series-tying 89-87 overtime win over the San Mig Coffee Mixers, Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao announced that team will be writing a formal letter to the PBA board seeking a re-draw of the draft lottery which it claimed was done in an "unprofessional manner" on Tuesday.

“This is just to inform the public that we are pursuing the intention to have the lottery draw investigated and if possible, have a re-draw, because we thought it was just crude, it was lacking in credibility,” Guiao said during the post-match press conference.

The draft lottery, which was done just minutes before the tip off of Game One of the PBA Governors Cup’s Finals, saw Commissioner Chito Salud drawing from three rubber balls placed inside a white box placed on a table at center court of the Mall of Asia Arena.

GlobalPort had two balls due to its worst record in the pro league last season, while the other ball had the name of Meralco, which had traded its first-round pick to Rain or Shine last year.

But Guiao said the way the lottery was conducted aroused the public’s suspicion since Salud failed to put his hand out of the white box.

“I guess it’s really the credibility and the integrity of the process itself and the commissioner who was conducting the lottery draw, almost everybody who watched it on YouTube will most likely have suspicion on the way the lottery was drawn,” said the fiery Rain or Shine mentor.

Guiao said Rain or Shine is the “aggrieved party” from the controversial lottery draw.

“We are the aggrieved party here because the Meralco draft pick was our draft pick and the PBA knew that,” he added.

“We’re just wondering why was there no [Meralco] representative close by during the lottery draw. We were wondering why the box wasn’t transparent. We were wondering why the commissioner was the one who put the balls inside and then he was the one who picked it out. And the most fatal flaw is that the commissioner did not show his hands after he put the ball in the box,” said Guiao.

Guiao said they intend to deliver the letter to the PBA office and will appeal for the league’s board to investigate on the matter since it is something that has to be “clarified."

“I think it’s for the good of the league, that’s number one. And all those things I mentioned be clarified, why is there not a proper way to do the lottery. Why do we have to subject ourselves to a crude method,” he said.

“If we cannot conduct a credible, simple lottery draw, how can we conduct a credible professional basketball league?

“So I think it’s a serious thing and it needs to be looked into, not by the commissioner, but by the board, because it’s a question of integrity,” he added.

Salud welcomed Rain or Shine's decision to elevate the matter to the board.

“I welcome coach Guiao’s move to elevate this matter to the board, and I’ll let the board decide,” Salud said in a brief statement to the media.

Salud declined to touch on the controversial matter, saying he’s leaving everything to the board.

“I’ve heard his [Guiao’s] interview. I welcome Yeng’s statement so as soon as the letter comes [to the PBA office]. The board can handle it on their own,” he added. - Richard Dy, SPIN