Terrafirma Dyip made Stephen Holt the first overall pick of the Season 48 PBA Rookie Draft held on Sunday in Taguig.
The 6-foot-4 Holt was unable to join the proceedings in person but was interviewed via a video call from Portland.
"I'm a two-way player. I'm committed on both ends of the floor, on offense and defense," he shared about himself.
"I'm pretty athletic, can rebound (and) can get to the basket."
Picking second, Blackwater Bossing tabbed Ontario native Christian David of Butler University.
Rounding out the top three picks was Luis Villegas, who was selected by Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
A 6-7 big man who made the UAAP Mythical Five in his lone season with the UE Red Warriors, Villegas is still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury but the Elasto Painters undoubtedly felt he would be worth the wait.
With the fourth pick, the Elasto Painters grabbed another big man in 6-8 Keith Datu of Chico State, who most recently suited up for Wilcon in the PBA 3x3 circuit.
Picking fifth, NorthPort Batang Pier chose the UP Fighting Maroons' Zavier Lucero, who is also recovering from an ACL injury.
Phoenix Super LPG made former FEU Tamaraws forward Ken Tuffin the 6th pick, before NLEX Road Warriors pulled off the first surprise of the draft by picking New Zealand native Richie Rodger, a 6-2 guard.
Meralco Bolts shored up its frontline by choosing 6-9 Brandon Bates of the La Salle Green Archers with the 8th pick.
Picking 9th and 10th, Converge FiberXers chose a pair of guards in shifty Schonny Winston of the Green Archers and shooter BJ Andrade of the Ateneo Blue Eagles.
With the 11th pick, the Batang Pier tabbed 6-5 banger Cade Flores of Arellano. Rounding out the first round, the Dyip pulled off the second surprise of the draft by selecting guard TJ Miller from Westminster University.
Fil-foreigners dominated the first round with all 12 picks foreign-born.
Big men dominate second round
Underscoring the depth of this draft in terms of frontline players, the first four picks of the second round were all big men.
The Dyip selected 6-8 Kemark Carino of the San Beda Red Lions with the 13th pick, and he was followed by 6-5 Bryan Santos of the UST Growling Tigers going to Converge, 6-5 Henry Galinato of the UP Fighting Maroons being picked by Rain or Shine, and 6-3 banger Raffy Verano of Ateneo going to Phoenix.
A source did however tell ESPN that Galinato might be traded to TNT Tropang Giga for their first-round pick in the Season 50 draft.
Another big man, Louie Sangalang of the Letran Knights, was picked 22nd overall by Terrafirma.
Highly-touted guard and two-time UAAP champion Ricci Rivero slid to 17th overall, going to the Fuel Masters. Barangay Ginebra, which didn't have a first-round pick, made their 3x3 player Ralph Cu of La Salle their first pick of the draft, 23rd overall.
The other picks of the second round included Enoch Valdez of Lyceum at 18th and John Nermal of West Negros at 21st for NLEX, JL Delos Santos of JRU at 19th by Converge, and Adrian Nocum of Mapua at 24th by Rain or Shine.
No pick for TNT
The Tropang Giga didn't have a pick until the third round and, when it was finally their turn, they passed.
The third round saw five Blue Eagles getting selected, with Matthew Daves going to Phoenix, Inand Fornilos to Converge, Jolo Mendoza to Meralco, Patrick Maagdenberg to Magnolia Hotshots and Troy Mallillin to San Miguel Beermen.
Maagdenberg and Mallillin were the first picks in the draft for the Hotshots and the Beermen.
Record-setting draft
This draft already set a record with 124 applicants and, by the end of proceedings, had set another for most players drafted (79) and most rounds (11).
Converge had the highest number of selections with 12, followed by Terrafirma and NorthPort with ten each and Phoenix with eight.
In terms of basketball programs, Ateneo had eight players drafted, while six each came from Letran, San Beda the and San Sebastian Stags.
Teams have five working days to offer their draftees a contract, otherwise they become free agents.
Some notable draftees:
John Amores, the JRU forward who was suspended by the NCAA and dismissed by his own school after single-handedly attacking several College of St. Benilde Blazers during a game last year, was selected 51st overall by the Batang Pier.
Shean Jackson, the youngest draft applicant at 23 -- who was supposed to suit up for Ateneo in the UAAP -- was picked 62nd overall by Meralco.
YouTube sensation Kyt Jimenez was picked 76th overall by the Beermen, to cheers from the crowd.