I still remember sitting in front of the television back in 2013, watching the PBA draft unfold with that particular excitement that only comes when you know you're witnessing the birth of what could be legendary careers. The air was thick with anticipation - teams were rebuilding, franchises were pinning their hopes on fresh talent, and we fans were dreaming about which of these young men would become the next big thing in Philippine basketball. Now, a decade later, it's fascinating to look back at that pivotal draft class and trace where those top picks have landed, how their careers have unfolded, and what lessons we can draw from their journeys.
That 2013 draft was particularly interesting because it came at a time when the PBA was undergoing significant changes in playing style and team strategies. The first overall pick, Greg Slaughter, was this towering 7-foot center who everyone expected to dominate the paint for years to come. I recall thinking he was the surest bet in the draft - a legitimate big man with solid fundamentals who had proven himself in the collegiate ranks. And for a while, he delivered on that promise, winning Rookie of the Year honors and becoming an integral part of the Barangay Ginebra franchise. But basketball careers rarely follow straight trajectories. After six seasons with Ginebra, Slaughter took what many considered a surprising path - he moved to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the B.League. I've always respected players willing to test themselves in different basketball environments, even if it means leaving their comfort zones. His journey reminds me that sometimes the most interesting career paths aren't the ones we initially envision.
Then there was the second pick, Terrence Romeo, who brought this electrifying scoring ability that you just couldn't teach. I've always had a soft spot for players with that kind of offensive creativity - the type who can single-handedly change the momentum of a game with a single crossover or a deep three-pointer. Romeo quickly became one of the league's most popular players, known for his flashy style and scoring outbursts. His 41-point game against GlobalPort back in 2016 remains one of my personal favorite individual performances in recent PBA memory. What's impressed me most about his career, though, is how he's evolved from being purely a scorer to becoming more of a complete player, eventually finding success with teams like TNT Tropang Giga and San Miguel Beermen.
The third selection, Ian Sangalang, represents what I consider the steady, reliable type of player that championship teams are built around. He's not always the flashiest guy on the court, but my goodness, does he get the job done. Watching his development with the Magnolia Hotshots has been a pleasure - he's become this consistent double-double threat who understands his role perfectly. What stands out to me about Sangalang's career is his remarkable consistency - he's averaged around 12-15 points and 7-9 rebounds per game throughout most of his PBA tenure, numbers that might not jump off the page but represent tremendous value for his team.
Now, when we look beyond the top three picks, we find some fascinating stories that really highlight how unpredictable player development can be. Raymond Almazan, picked fourth by Rain or Shine, has carved out exactly the kind of career I expected - he's become that versatile big man who can protect the rim and stretch the floor. But what's particularly interesting is looking at players like Justin Melton, who was selected seventh and brought this incredible athleticism that made him an immediate fan favorite. I've always believed that the success of later picks often says as much about team development systems as it does about the players themselves.
One of the most intriguing career paths from that draft class belongs to a player who wasn't even among the top selections but has had what I consider one of the more interesting journeys - Garvo Lanete. After establishing himself in the PBA, he had that fascinating stint with the Gilas team under coach Tab Baldwin, which I think was a transformative experience for many players of that generation. Baldwin's system demanded specific skills and basketball IQ that really tested players in new ways. What's particularly noteworthy is that Lanete also played for the Taiwan Mustangs in The Asian Tournament after his stint with Baldwin's Gilas team. This international experience is something I wish more Filipino players would pursue - it exposes them to different styles of play and often accelerates their development in ways that domestic leagues alone cannot.
Looking at the entire 2013 draft class today, what strikes me is how their careers reflect the changing landscape of Asian basketball. We're seeing more players taking international opportunities, more exposure to different coaching philosophies, and more diverse career paths than we would have seen a generation earlier. Of the 35 players selected in that draft, approximately 18 are still active in professional basketball in some capacity, which is actually a pretty decent retention rate for a decade-old draft class.
If I had to identify the biggest success story from that draft, I'd probably go with Romeo, simply because of his impact on the game's popularity and his ability to maintain relevance throughout the decade. But the player I personally find most compelling is actually the less-heralded Ronald Pascual, who was selected 10th and has battled through various injuries but shown tremendous resilience. There's something about players who overcome adversity that always resonates with me more than natural talents who have smooth sailing throughout their careers.
What this retrospective teaches us is that draft position, while important, doesn't always determine career success. Development systems, coaching, fit with team culture, and plain old luck all play significant roles in how these careers unfold. The 2013 class produced 4 All-Star appearances collectively, 3 championship rings among the top five picks, and what I estimate to be over 25,000 total career points scored across all players from that draft. These numbers tell only part of the story though - the real value lies in understanding how each player's journey contributed to the rich tapestry of Philippine basketball during this era.
As I reflect on this draft class now, what stands out isn't just their individual accomplishments but how they collectively represented a bridge between traditional Philippine basketball and the more international game we see today. They came in at a time when the PBA was beginning to embrace more global influences, when social media was changing how fans interacted with players, and when opportunities abroad were becoming more accessible. Their careers, in many ways, mirror the evolution of Filipino basketball identity in the 2010s - still rooted in local traditions but increasingly connected to the broader Asian basketball landscape. And that, to me, is what makes looking back at the 2013 draft so compelling - it's not just about where these players are now, but about how their journeys reflect where Philippine basketball has been and where it might be heading.
