Again, Welcoat to pick first in PBA rookie draft

MANILA, Philippines – Welcoat earned the right to pick first in this year’s Philippine Basketball Association rookie draft after the Draft Lottery was held Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum. The Dragons, last placers in the last two seasons and four conferences overall, are expected to choose Gabe Norwood but if only the US-raised Filipino submits his certificate of affirmation from the Department of Justice and a certificate from the Bureau of Immigration in time. If not, Welcoat is likely to pick Jason Castro or another “Fil-Am" Solomon Mercado. Welcoat, which gets to pick first for a second straight season, beat Talk ’N Text for the top draft rights. The Phone Pals will settle for the second and fourth picks, with Magnolia picking third. Alaska will have the No. 5 choice. The sixth choice will depend out the outcome of the Fiesta Cup. Purefoods will end up that pick if Air21 wins the conference, with the Express landing at No. 7. The two teams will then swap draft ranks if the Express lose to Ginebra in the finals Magnolia is ranked eighth and Red Bull, for finishing second runner-up in the two tournaments in the season, has the ninth pick. Sta. Lucia, which won the Philippine Cup, will have the last pick in the first round. – GMANews.TV