2018 PBA Draft Results: Complete List of Picks and Player Analysis

I still remember the buzzing energy in the PBA Café last December 16th—the palpable tension as team executives shuffled papers while young athletes sat with polished shoes and hopeful eyes. Having covered basketball drafts for over a decade, I’ve learned to spot the subtle tells: the nervous knee bouncing, the forced smiles, the way agents hover like hawks. But the 2018 PBA Draft was different somehow—more raw, more emotional, perhaps because we’d just emerged from a pandemic-laced season where these players had trained in near-isolation. I recall watching grainy videos of PLDT players sharing scenes inside their gym during those strange months—how they’d set up improvised karaoke sessions between drills, belting out tunes to keep morale up. It felt like a metaphor for what this draft class represented: resilience forged in unconventional times.

The background here is crucial. See, the Philippine Basketball Association operates on this beautiful paradox—it’s both a legacy league and a survivalist playground. We had 49 hopefuls entering the draft that year, but only 20 would hear their names called. Teams were gambling on potential, but they were also betting on character. How did these kids handle themselves when gyms were shuttered? The PLDT training clips gave us clues—players flipping tires in parking lots, sharing packed meals on bleachers, turning hardship into camaraderie. That makeshift karaoke machine wasn’t just entertainment; it was leadership in action. You could see future captains emerging in those unscripted moments.

Now let’s dive into the heart of it—the 2018 PBA Draft results complete list of picks and player analysis. First pick went to Columbian Dyip (now Terrafirma), who snagged CJ Perez—a no-brainer selection if I’ve ever seen one. The guy averaged 24.4 points per game in the PBA D-League and moved with the urgency of someone chasing midnight. Second pick was Bobby Ray Parks Jr. to Blackwater, a pick that had me nodding vigorously—his overseas experience and defensive versatility reminded me of a young Arwind Santos. But the real steal? Third-round gem Javee Mocon falling to Rain or Shine. I’d watched his college highlights until my laptop overheated—this kid had hands like vacuums and a basketball IQ that defied his draft position.

What fascinates me about analyzing these picks isn’t just the stats—it’s the fit. Take Phoenix selecting Jason Perkins at fourth. He wasn’t the flashiest name, but his blue-collar style mirrored exactly what we’d seen in those PLDT training videos—players who treated every drill like Game 7. That’s the thread connecting this draft class: they’re grinders who’ve learned to find joy in the struggle. When your "gym" is a repurposed warehouse and your soundtrack is a crackling karaoke speaker, you either break or become unbreakable.

I’ll admit I had some disagreements with the selections—Magnolia passing on Abu Tratter twice still baffles me—but the overall draft strategy reflected a league valuing adaptability over pure talent. Teams weren’t just drafting athletes; they were drafting pandemic-proof personalities. The proof? Look at how many 2018 draftees became lockdown leaders during the 2020 season hiatus. These were the guys organizing Zoom workouts, sending defensive slides to rookies, keeping teams connected. That’s the intangible these scouts saw—the same spirit that turned a makeshift karaoke session into a bonding ritual.

Wrapping this up, I’d argue the 2018 draft will be remembered as a turning point. Not because it produced the most All-Stars (though Perez and Parks are well on their way), but because it prioritized human resilience alongside athletic pedigree. These players entered a league forever changed by global disruption, yet they’ve become its steadying force. So next time you watch CJ Perez euro-step through traffic or see Mocon dive for a loose ball, remember—that hunger was forged in days when the only audience was a karaoke machine and the only trophy was making it through another isolated workout. And honestly? That might be the most valuable draft qualification of all.