PBA Draft 2020 List: Complete Player Selections and Team Breakdowns

I still remember the anticipation building up throughout that unusual October afternoon in 2020. The PBA Draft, typically held in person with all the fanfare you'd expect from Philippine basketball's biggest event, had shifted to a fully virtual format due to the pandemic. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over fifteen years, I found this digital draft both strange and fascinating - it stripped away the pageantry but heightened the strategic tension. Teams were making franchise-altering decisions from their respective headquarters while fans like me watched the selections unfold through live streams and social media updates.

The first round unfolded with few surprises initially - Roosevelt Adams going to Terrafirma as the first overall pick felt almost predetermined given the buzz surrounding the Fil-American forward. What struck me most about Adams' selection was how perfectly he fit Terrafirma's rebuilding timeline. At 6'5" with legitimate wing skills, he represented exactly the type of modern forward the PBA needed more of. The second pick, Maurice Shaw to Blackwater, reinforced this trend toward versatile big men who could space the floor. Watching these selections, I couldn't help but feel the league was finally catching up to global basketball trends, prioritizing skill and versatility over traditional position-based drafting.

When we reached the fifth pick, things got genuinely interesting for me. NorthPort selecting Jamie Malonzo felt like both a bold move and a calculated risk. Having watched Malonzo develop through the college ranks, I'd always been impressed by his athleticism and defensive versatility, though I'll admit I questioned whether his offensive game was polished enough for immediate PBA impact. The 6'7" forward brought exactly the kind of length and mobility that could disrupt opposing wings, and I remember thinking NorthPort might have gotten the steal of the draft at that position. Little did any of us know then how brief his PBA tenure would be - Malonzo joined the Kyoto Hannaryz of the B.League after his contract expired end of July, a move that speaks volumes about the growing appeal of Japan's professional league to Filipino talents.

The middle part of that first round featured several selections that have aged remarkably well in hindsight. Barkley Ebona going to Alaska at sixth overall represented solid value for a traditional big who could anchor their interior defense. What impressed me most about Alaska's selection was how it addressed their immediate need for rebounding and physical presence without sacrificing future flexibility. The eighth pick, Mikey Williams to TNT, has proven to be arguably the most impactful selection of the entire draft class. I've followed Williams' career since his US NCAA days, and his combination of scoring punch and clutch gene has transformed TNT into perennial contenders. Some analysts questioned whether his game would translate to the PBA's physical style, but I always believed his shot creation would thrive in the league's spacing.

As the draft progressed into the second round, the strategic approaches of different franchises became increasingly apparent. Teams like Magnolia and Rain or Shine demonstrated why they've been so successful at finding value outside the lottery, selecting players like Rey Mark Acuno and Andrei Caracut who've developed into reliable rotation pieces. I've always admired franchises that invest in second-round development - it shows a commitment to building sustainable success rather than chasing quick fixes through big-name acquisitions. The draft's later rounds also revealed how teams were adjusting their evaluation processes during the pandemic, relying more heavily on tape study and background checks than in-person workouts.

Looking back at the 2020 PBA Draft nearly three years later, what stands out most is how it reflected the changing landscape of Asian basketball. The fact that a first-round talent like Malonzo would spend just one season in the PBA before jumping to Japan's B.League signals a shift in how Filipino players view their career trajectories. While some traditionalists might lament this development, I see it as ultimately positive for Philippine basketball - it raises the standard for what it takes to retain top talent and forces teams to be more strategic in their roster construction. The 2020 class has already produced several franchise cornerstones and rotation players who'll shape the PBA's competitive balance for years to come, making it one of the more impactful drafts in recent memory despite the unusual circumstances surrounding it.