Philippine women’s basketball team member Gemma Miranda leads the final 177 dreamers who will be part of the inaugural Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) draft.
Miranda is tabbed to be the overall top pick, while reigning UAAP Finals MVP Monique del Carmen of the six-peat champions National University (NU) Lady Bulldogs is tipped to come in second.
Miranda, who saw action in the 2019 FIBA Women’s Olympic pre-qualifying tournament, suited up as a guest player for the PSI Lady Air Defenders in the first season last year of the then amateur WNBL tournament.
The national team standout won the inaugural Finals MVP award.
NU floor general Del Carmen, on the other hand, leads a talented list of guards that include Camille Claro of La Salle, Regina dela Merced of St Benilde, Adamson’s Katherine Cantimbuhan, and University of the Philippine’s Fille Claudine Cainglet.
Other potential good picks for the forward position are Jenille Batnag of NU, Camille Sambile of Far Eastern University, Nikka Tupaz of Philippine Women’s University, and Cara Buendia of Ateneo.
Notable picks for center are former Ateneo Lady Eagles captain Tina Deacon, 5-foot-10 April Lualhati of Lyceum, and 5-foot-7 Alyanna Ong of La Salle.
After receiving an overwhelming 702 applicants last September, the committee trimmed the number of hopefuls.
“We filtered the process by the leagues they played on, character references, and social media,” said WNBL tournament commissioner Bujoy Magno.
The WNBL will hold the final tryouts and draft combine, where all the players will showcase their skills, in a bubble in San Fernando, Pampanga. – Vince Roque/Rappler.com
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