2013 PBA Draft Complete Results and Analysis of Top Picks Performance

I still remember the excitement buzzing through the Smart Araneta Coliseum back in 2013 - the air thick with anticipation as PBA teams prepared to shape their futures. Having followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've witnessed numerous drafts, but the 2013 edition stands out as particularly fascinating in hindsight. The draft class produced several players who would significantly impact the league, though their career trajectories took some unexpected turns that we can now analyze with the benefit of ten years' perspective.

The first round unfolded with Greg Slaughter going to Barangay Ginebra as the first overall pick, a move that surprised absolutely nobody who'd been paying attention to college basketball. At 7 feet tall, Slaughter represented exactly what teams dream of finding in the draft - a legitimate center who could dominate the paint. What made him particularly appealing was his three-year stint with the Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP, where he'd already demonstrated his capability against top local competition. I remember thinking at the time that this was one of the safest picks in recent memory, though I did wonder if his relatively limited mobility might become an issue against quicker imports. Right behind him at number two, Alaska selected another big man - Ian Sangalang from San Sebastian - creating what many hoped would be a rivalry to watch for years to come. Looking back, both big men delivered solid careers, though neither quite reached the superstar status some had predicted.

What really made this draft class special emerged in the later picks, particularly at number three where San Mig Coffee (now Magnolia) selected the player I believe became the true gem of this draft - June Mar Fajardo. The Cebuano giant had shown tremendous potential in the CESAFI, but I'll admit even I underestimated how quickly he'd adapt to the PBA's physicality. His rookie numbers of 13.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game were impressive enough, but nobody could have predicted he'd become the league's only six-time MVP. Sometimes teams get lucky in the draft, and the Mixers certainly hit the jackpot here. The fourth pick brought another interesting selection - RR Garcia going to Barako Bull. The former UAAP MVP from Far Eastern University had explosive scoring ability, though I always felt his game was better suited to the college level where he could dominate the ball more.

As we moved deeper into the first round, teams began addressing specific needs rather than simply taking the best available player. At pick five, GlobalPort selected Terrence Romeo, who would develop into one of the most electrifying scorers the league has ever seen. His flamboyant style and unlimited shooting range made him an instant fan favorite, though I've always thought his game would have been even more effective with better shot selection. Still, you can't argue with production - he averaged over 20 points per game in his prime. The sixth pick saw Barangay Ginebra double-dipping with James Forrester, an athletic wing who showed flashes but never quite put it all together consistently in my view.

The second round produced several serviceable rotation players, but the most intriguing selection came at number eleven where Rain or Shine picked Ryan Buenafe. The former Ateneo star had championship pedigree and a unique skill set for his size, though his conditioning issues limited his effectiveness against PBA-level athletes. What fascinates me about analyzing drafts years later is seeing how players develop in unexpected ways. For instance, Raymond Almazan, selected tenth by Rain or Shine, evolved into one of the league's premier defensive big men despite being relatively raw coming out of Letran.

One aspect of this draft class that often gets overlooked is how several players developed through international exposure. We saw this particularly with players like Matt Ganuelas-Rosser, who was selected in the second round but didn't immediately join the PBA. He also played for the Taiwan Mustangs in The Asian Tournament after a stint with the Gilas team of coach Tab Baldwin. This kind of international experience often gets overlooked when evaluating draft picks, but I've noticed it frequently accelerates player development in ways that domestic competition alone cannot. The exposure to different styles of play and coaching philosophies seems to broaden players' basketball IQ and adaptability.

Looking back at the complete draft results, what strikes me is how the success rate drops significantly after the first fifteen picks, which is fairly typical for PBA drafts. Teams found some hidden gems - Justin Melton at sixteen provided valuable minutes for San Mig Coffee's championship runs, while Anthony Gavieres at twenty-two carved out a respectable career as a role player. But the reality is that most second-round and third-round picks don't stick in the league long-term, which makes the scouting process so crucial.

From my perspective, the 2013 draft class stands as above-average historically, producing three legitimate franchise players in Fajardo, Slaughter, and Sangalang, plus several high-level starters. The hit rate in the first round was particularly impressive, with about seventy percent of picks becoming solid rotation players or better. What's interesting is how the careers diverged - while Fajardo became the face of the league, others like Forrester and Buenafe struggled to find their footing despite possessing considerable talent. This underscores how much circumstance and fit matter beyond raw ability.

Ten years later, we can definitively say this draft significantly shaped the PBA landscape for the following decade. The big men taken in the first round dominated the interior game for years, while guards like Romeo provided the highlight-reel moments that keep fans engaged. What I take away from analyzing this draft is that while teams generally identified the right talent, player development and system fit ultimately determined which picks yielded the greatest returns. The organizations that invested in developing their selections reaped the benefits throughout the 2010s, while those that expected instant impact without proper support often saw promising careers fizzle out. It's a lesson current teams would do well to remember as they approach future drafts.