BK to take advantage of draft rights to tab Aguilar

MANILA, Philippines – Standing 6’9 and having the versatility of an all-around forward, US-based prospect Japeth Aguilar is simply hard to pass up. No wonder coach Yeng Guiao is planning not only to include him in the national team but make him the No.1 overall pick and a mainstay of his Burger King squad in the Philippine Basketball Association. Incoming PBA chairman and Burger King team manager Lito Alvarez said he and Guiao have already spoken about the high possibility of getting the services of the son of former Ginebra slotman Peter Aguilar, especially now that the Whopper have already secured the rights to Barako Bull’s first round pick. The Energy Boosters, who are most likely to wind up getting the No.1 overall pick after finishing dead last in the PBA this season, had already dealt their draft rights to the Whopper this season. Barako Bull also has the advantage on the lottery pick against the No.9 team, which happens to be Coca-Cola. “If we will be picking first, we will definitely get Japeth. But I do hope he’ll make himself available for the draft," Alvarez said. “We have three picks in the draft and we might also use the other one as trade a bait to get another quality player." Curiously, the Whopper have already started their buildup by acquiring Barako Bull bruising center Carlo Sharma in exchange for rookie Chad Alonzo in preparation for the Philippine Cup next season. Sharma was one among the mainstays of Guiao’s champion team with Red Bull. Having a line up composed of Sharma manning the center spot, Aguilar at No. 4, Arwind Santos at the small forward spot and Gary David and Wynne Arboleda at the guard positions would certainly make the Whopper more formidable if not more dangerous. Coca-Cola is looking at three players – Aguilar and PBL Fil-Am standouts Chris Ross of Pharex and Chris Timberlake of Oracle. – GMANews.TV