Basketball
PBA gives new franchise Shopinas extra second round pick
As a concession for the Shopinas.com Clickers, the league’ newest franchise, the PBA Board of Governors has awarded the team an extra second round draft pick.
The Clickers, which purchased the old Barako Bull franchise, will get the first pick of the second round, which is the 11th overall pick of the 2011 PBA Rookie Draft, which is scheduled on Sunday, August 28.
A highly-placed source who was present in Tuesday’s board meeting said that it was the only concession the league was willing to give the new team.
“Marami silang hinihingi actually, pero the board has decided to give the only concession, which is the 11th pick in the coming draft,” wrote the souce in a text message to InterAKTV.
The concession was similar to the one the Meralco Bolts received when they joined the PBA last year. Meralco purchased the old Sta. Lucia Realty franchise to join the PBA.
Shopinas.com team manager Jovie Saddul earlier said that his squad had requested to allow them to pick players from a draft, since most of the players from Barako already had expired contracts. Among the former players Barako Bull players whose rights are held by the Clickers are Pong Escobal, Jojo Duncil, Lordy Tugade, Marlou Aquino, Borgie Hermida, and Aries Dimaunahan.
With the board decision, Shopinas.com will have a total of two draft picks in the first two round of Sunday’s event. The team has the No. 5 pick in the first round, which it acquired from the Purefoods/B-MEG franchise as part of a deal for Rich Alvarez.
Its original first round choice at No. 7, meanwhile, had already been traded to Talk ‘N Text, while its original second round choice had already been shipped to Barangay Ginebra.
The 2011 PBA Draft will be broadcast on AKTV on IBC-13 on Sunday, August 28, at 7 p.m.
