Complete 2018 PBA Draft List and Player Analysis for Basketball Enthusiasts

As a longtime basketball analyst who's followed the PBA for over a decade, I still get that familiar thrill every draft season. The 2018 PBA Draft was particularly fascinating because it represented a changing of the guard in Philippine basketball - a mix of established collegiate stars and raw talents ready to make their mark. Let me walk you through that year's complete draft list while sharing my perspective on how these players have developed since entering the league.

The first round selections read like a who's who of Philippine basketball potential. CJ Perez going first overall to Columbian Dyip was the safest pick imaginable - the guy had already demonstrated his scoring prowess in the PBA D-League and his explosive athleticism made him virtually can't-miss talent. What surprised me more was Bobby Ray Parks Jr. falling to Blackwater at second - I'd personally ranked him as the top prospect that year, and his subsequent performance has proven why he should've gone first. Third pick Javee Mocon to Rain or Shine represented exactly the kind of two-way forward that coach Caloy Garcia loves - fundamentally sound with that underrated scoring touch around the basket. The draft's real steal came at fourth where NorthPort grabbed Robert Bolick, who immediately became one of the league's most clutch performers and frankly, one of my favorite players to watch in crunch time.

What made this draft class special was the depth of talent that extended well beyond the first round. Players like Abu Tratter (selected 7th by Alaska) and Michael Calisaan (20th to Magnolia) developed into reliable rotation pieces who understood their roles perfectly. The second round produced several gems too - I've always had a soft spot for underdog stories, and Bong Quinto falling to Meralco at 13th overall was criminal in my opinion. He's since become one of the most versatile guards in the league, capable of defending multiple positions while providing just enough offense to keep defenses honest.

Now, looking at the collegiate pipeline that year, the struggles of some teams directly influenced which players declared for the draft. I remember watching UE's winless campaign under new coach Chris Gavina with particular interest because struggling college programs often produce diamonds in the rough. Precious Momowei's 23-point, 13-rebound double-double in their final game caught my eye - that kind of production against UAAP competition typically translates well to the PBA. While Momowei didn't declare that year, monitoring players from struggling programs has always been part of my draft evaluation process. Sometimes being the primary option on a bad team reveals more about a player's character and capability than being a role player on a championship squad.

The third round and subsequent rounds featured several players who took unconventional paths to the PBA. What many fans don't realize is that drafting this late is often about projecting specific skills rather than complete players. Teams look for one elite skill they can develop - whether it's shooting, defense, or rebounding - rather than expecting finished products. I've always argued that teams should use late picks on high-ceiling international players or specialists more often, rather than going with familiar names from the collegiate ranks.

Reflecting on this draft class five years later, what strikes me is how it produced several franchise cornerstones while also delivering incredible depth. Approximately 65% of the players selected in 2018 remain in the league today, which represents a higher retention rate than most draft classes manage. The class produced two Rookie of the Year winners (Perez and Bolick), three All-Stars, and numerous key rotation players who've contributed to championship teams. My only criticism would be that several teams overthought their selections, passing on obvious talent for questionable "project players" who never panned out.

The development trajectories of these players have followed interesting paths that reveal much about the PBA's ecosystem. Players like Perez and Bolick immediately became stars, while others like Tratter and Calisaan took 2-3 seasons to find their footing. This pattern reinforces my long-held belief that teams should be more patient with mid-first round picks, as big men particularly tend to develop slower in the PBA context. The success stories from this draft also highlight the importance of landing in the right system - several players selected later have outperformed their draft positions simply because they found coaches who understood how to utilize their specific skill sets.

What continues to fascinate me about draft analysis is how quickly perceptions change. Players who were considered "reaches" on draft night often become steals within a couple of seasons, while "sure things" sometimes falter unexpectedly. The 2018 class has provided plenty of both scenarios, making it one of the more interesting drafts to evaluate in retrospect. If I were running a PBA team's front office, I'd study this draft class extensively - it offers lessons about value, development timelines, and the importance of organizational fit that remain relevant today.

Looking at the broader impact, the 2018 draft class arrived just as the PBA was transitioning toward a more modern style of basketball. The success of versatile players like Parks and Mocon demonstrated the league's evolving preference for positionless basketball, while the immediate impact of guards like Perez and Bolick highlighted the increasing importance of perimeter creation. This draft, perhaps more than any other in recent memory, shaped the contemporary PBA landscape in ways we're still appreciating today. The class produced not just talent, but stylistic innovators who pushed the league in new directions - and as a basketball purist, that's what makes analyzing drafts so endlessly compelling to me.