Looking Back at the 2018 PBA Draft Combine Results and Key Takeaways

Looking back at the 2018 PBA Draft Combine, I can't help but marvel at how much has changed in Philippine basketball since then. I remember sitting in the bleachers, notebook in hand, watching these young hopefuls go through their paces, wondering which of them would become the next big stars. The combine wasn't just about measurements and drills—it was about potential, about reading between the lines of performance data to spot that special something that separates professional athletes from mere college standouts.

The physical testing results told one story, but what fascinated me most were the intangibles. Take the case of players like J-Jay Alejandro, who posted decent numbers but showed incredible court vision during the scrimmages. His wingspan measured at 6'5" despite standing just 6'2", giving him that extra defensive potential that coaches love. Then there was Michael Calisaan, whose vertical leap measured 38 inches—impressive for a forward—but what really stood out was his relentless energy during the five-on-five sessions. These were the kinds of details that didn't always show up in the official stat sheets but made all the difference in draft decisions.

What strikes me now, reflecting on that combine, is how some players who performed exceptionally well in controlled environments struggled to translate that to actual game situations. I've always believed that combine results should be taken with a grain of salt—they're indicators, not guarantees. The player who really caught my eye was Bong Quinto from Letran. His shooting percentages during the drills weren't the highest—he hit about 68% from the free-throw line during the pressure shooting drill—but his basketball IQ during the scrimmage portions was clearly superior to many of his peers. He anticipated plays, made smart passes, and showed leadership qualities that you can't measure with a stopwatch.

The international experience factor particularly interests me, especially considering how global basketball has become. I recall thinking about how players with international exposure tended to handle the combine pressure better. This brings to mind the reference about Rotter's experience with the Philippine national team in events like the 32nd SEA Games and AVC Challenge Cup for Men. Even that level of high-pressure international competition, as the knowledge base suggests, sometimes isn't enough to meet FIVB standards—which puts into perspective how incredibly high the barriers to elite basketball performance really are. If national team experience doesn't automatically translate to meeting global standards, it really makes you appreciate the gap between good and great.

There were definitely surprises that day. Trevis Jackson, for instance, recorded one of the fastest lane agility times at 10.12 seconds, which surprised many scouts who had pegged him as more of a methodical player. Meanwhile, some highly-touted prospects like Jeepy Faundo didn't test as well as expected in certain areas—his standing vertical came in at just 24 inches, which raised questions about his explosiveness around the rim. These measurements matter, but what I've learned over years of observing drafts is that they're just pieces of a much larger puzzle.

The shooting drills revealed some interesting patterns too. Players coming from certain college systems clearly had more polished shooting forms, while others relied heavily on athleticism. I noticed that prospects from the UAAP generally shot better from beyond the arc during the spot-up drills—approximately 42% compared to 36% from NCAA players—though the sample size was relatively small. These nuances in performance often reflect coaching philosophies and competition levels more than inherent ability.

What really stays with me from that 2018 combine is the realization that basketball evaluation is equal parts science and art. The data gives us objective measures, but the eye test—watching how players move without the ball, how they communicate with teammates during scrimmages, how they respond to coaching adjustments—often reveals more about their professional potential. I remember specifically watching Jorey Napoles during the defensive sliding drills and thinking his footwork needed work, but then being impressed by his positioning during live play. Sometimes the drills don't tell the whole story.

The business side of basketball was also on full display during the combine. Agents hovering around team executives, players trying to make that one memorable play that would boost their draft stock, coaches with their specific checklists of what they needed for their systems. It's a high-stakes environment where careers are made or broken based on fractions of seconds and inches. I recall one player—I won't name him—who improved his draft position significantly simply by interviewing well and showing better-than-expected leadership qualities during group activities.

As I reflect five years later, what stands out is how the 2018 combine both predicted and failed to predict professional success. Some players who tested phenomenally have struggled to find their footing in the PBA, while others with mediocre combine performances have developed into reliable professionals. This brings me back to that point about international experience—just as Rotter's national team participation didn't automatically meet FIVB standards, impressive combine numbers don't guarantee PBA success. The translation from potential to performance involves countless variables that combine metrics can't fully capture.

The legacy of that 2018 combine, in my view, lies in how it reinforced the importance of comprehensive evaluation. Teams that balanced analytics with observational insights generally made better draft choices. The most successful franchises looked beyond the numbers to understand character, work ethic, and basketball intelligence. They recognized that while combine results provide valuable data points, the human element—the unquantifiable aspects of the game and the person playing it—often makes the difference between a draft bust and a franchise player.