WHO will be this year’s No.1 pick in the PBA?

Will it be CJ Perez  or Bobby Ray Parks or or  Robert Bolick or Abu Tratter?

Will there be any surprises this year like last time when Cris Standhardinger was traded by Kia to San Miguel Beer?

The  answers will be known today when the PBA holds its annual draft  starting at 5 p.m. today at Robinson’s Place in Manila.

A total of 48 rookie draft hopefuls, led by the four top prospects, will sit on pins and needles while waiting their names to be called on stage and get the opportunity of a lifetime to play in the country’s first play for pay league.

The excitement, however, is expected to start only from the No. 5 choice and onwards since it’s a foregone conclusion Perez, Parks, Bolick and Tratter will be the top four picks.    

Columbian Dyip and Blackwater have long made known their intentions to make Perez and Parks as the first and second choices.        “Sa amin,  walang pagbabago. Kay CJ Perez kami. Alam namin na hinog na hinog  na siya, and he could provide us instant firepower,” said  Columbian Dyip top official Bobby Rosales in  earlier interviews.    

“In the second round, we’ll try to land a  point guard  kasi wala rin naman gaanong malaki sa pool,” Rosales added.

Blackwater team  owner Dioceldo Sy, on the other hand,  said they  would take in the player Columbian Dyip will pass on  between Perez and Parks.

“Kung CJ Perez sila, Parks kami. Kung mag-Parks sila, CJ Perez kami. Baligtaran lang yan,” said Sy.    

The Ever Bilena franchise top boss  also  said  both the San Miguel Corp.  and MVP Groups have already   been sending feelers for a  possible trade.    

“Pero wala  naman tiyak   pa sa ngayon. Kung  meron man, papipirmahin  pa  rin  muna namin, at titignan muna namin ang totoong kalibre kahit isang conference,” said Sy.    

At No. 3 NorthPort Batang , is  reportedly  eyeing the sweet-shoting Bolick.

NLEX, for its part,   worked hard to acquire Phoenix Petroleum’s fourth pick to have  a crack at Tratter.

Then  the guessing game would begin.    

Other potential first-rounders are Javee Mocon, JP Calvo, Michael Calisaan, J-jay Alejandro, Paul Desiderio, Bong Quinto and Fil-Am Trevis Jackson from among the 48 hopefuls.

Somehow, Bolick, Calvo, Mocon, Calisaan and CJ Isit boosted their stocks as they made the Mythical Selection in the Draft Combine on Wednesday and Thursday at the Hoops Center in Mandaluyong.    

Calvo, a 5-foot-8 guard from Letran, beat everybody for the MVP honors.    

Tratter, Jeepy Faundo, Gideon Babilonia are the tallest among the hopefuls all at 6-foot-6.        Only 16 others were measured at 6-3 and above. These are Calisaan, Parks, Mocon, Kristoffer Porter, Jeffrey Ongtengco, Kent Jefferson Lao, Matthew Salem, Joseph Manlangit, Paul Varilla, Ronnie de Leon, Ralph Salcedo, Steven Cudal, Edrian Lao, Chris dela Pena, Clark Derige and Jorey Napoles.    

The shortest is Ryan Monteclaro at 5-7.