The Daily Tribune
Baltazar debut
still uncertain
Justine Baltazar, a 6-foot-7 prospect, believes his two-year delay in his Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) bid has made him more battle-ready.
He initially applied for the PBA draft in 2022 but withdrew to play in the Japan B. League and later in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) for the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, leading them to a championship and winning MVP awards.
Baltazar is among the hopefuls who have entered the PBA's Season 49 selection process, with Converge expected to select him with the top pick.
However, his PBA debut remains uncertain as he is still under contract with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the ongoing 2024 MPBL season.
Baltazar stated that he will wait for the decision of Pampanga Governor Dennis "Delta" Pineda regarding his contract status.
If he joins Converge, he will be reunited with former college coach Aldin Ayo.
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News Sources
See how different news organizations are covering this story. Below are the original articles from various Philippine news sources that contributed to this summary.
Converge selected Justine Baltazar as the No. 1 overall pick in the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft held on Sunday, July 14.
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A total of 70 aspirants have submitted their names for the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft, a significantly fewer number than last year's 128.
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Converge remains undecided on the No. 1 overall pick for the PBA Draft, with coach Aldin Ayo considering three to four players.
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Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone acknowledges the challenge of picking 10th in the PBA Draft, stating he cannot select top prospects like Justine Baltazar or Kai Ballungay.
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Kai Ballungay, a 6-foot-6 prospect for the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft, aims to showcase his height and athleticism as his edge over fellow hopefuls.
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