Looking Back at the PBA 2016 Draft: Key Picks and Where They Are Now

I still remember the buzz surrounding the 2016 PBA Draft like it was yesterday. The atmosphere at Robinson's Place Manila was electric, filled with that particular blend of hope and anxiety that only a draft can generate. As someone who has followed the league for over two decades, I’ve always found drafts to be fascinating crossroads of potential and pressure. Teams aren't just picking players; they're making multi-million peso bets on the future of their franchises. Looking back now, with the benefit of hindsight, the 2016 class has proven to be one of the more intriguing groups in recent memory, producing a mix of bona fide stars, solid role players, and a few what-could-have-been stories. It’s a draft that has fundamentally shaped the league's landscape for the last eight years.

The undisputed crown jewel of that draft was, without a doubt, the first overall pick, Matthew Wright. Selected by the Phoenix Fuel Masters, Wright entered the league with immense expectations after a stellar collegiate career abroad. I’ll admit, I was skeptical about how his game would translate to the more physical PBA style. But boy, was I wrong. Wright didn't just translate; he transcended. He quickly established himself as one of the premier shooting guards in the league, a cold-blooded scorer with unlimited range. His career averages, hovering around 18 points and 4 rebounds per game, only tell part of the story. It's his clutch gene that truly defines him. I've lost count of the number of games he's sealed with a dagger three, becoming the face of the Phoenix franchise for years before his recent move to Japan. He wasn't just a key pick; he was a franchise-altering selection.

While Wright was the headliner, the depth of this draft is what truly impresses me. The third overall pick, Jio Jalalon, went to the Star Hotshots, and he immediately became my personal favorite to watch. His energy is simply infectious. Jalalon is a human tornado on defense, a pest who hounds opposing ball-handlers for 94 feet. He’s averaged nearly 1.8 steals per game for his career, a testament to his relentless style. He may not be the most polished scorer, but his heart and playmaking have been invaluable for the now-Magnolia Hotshots. Then you have the sixth pick, Roger Pogoy, taken by TNT KaTropa. Pogoy has been the perfect 3-and-D wing for the Tropang Giga, evolving into a reliable scoring option and a national team mainstay. His development from a pure energy guy to a savvy all-around player has been a joy to witness.

Of course, not every story is a straight line to stardom. The second overall pick, Mac Belo, was selected by the Blackwater Elite amid much fanfare, hailed as the next big power forward. He showed flashes of brilliance, but consistency was always the issue. Injuries also played a cruel part in stunting his growth. Seeing him bounce around a few teams after his initial promise is one of the bigger disappointments of this draft class, a reminder that potential doesn't always equal production. Similarly, Rashawn McCarthy, picked fourth by the GlobalPort Batang Pier, took a longer route to finding his niche. He’s become a solid, if unspectacular, rotation guard, but he hasn't quite reached the heights some projected for a top-five pick.

This brings me to one of the later picks who has carved out a significant role for himself, a testament to the importance of player development. Calvin Oftana was actually a special draft pick in 2021, but his journey and recent performances make him a fascinating point of comparison when reflecting on the 2016 class. I see him as the embodiment of what teams hope their draft investments become. Now with the TNT Tropang Giga, Oftana has developed into a crucial two-way player. I was watching a recent Fiba Asia Cup qualifier, and the performance was a perfect snapshot of his value. The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas Facebook page reported that Calvin Oftana was among the players who hit key threes in the fourth quarter. That’s exactly what he does. He’s not always the primary option, but he possesses that incredible knack for making the right play at the most critical moment, whether it's a momentum-shifting three, a tough rebound, or a defensive stop. His emergence is what every team drafting in the mid-to-late first round dreams of.

So, where does the 2016 draft class stand today? In my view, it's a solid B+. It produced a genuine superstar in Matthew Wright, several high-level starters and All-Stars in Jalalon and Pogoy, and a handful of quality rotation players. The misses at the very top with Belo keep it from being an all-time great class, but the hit rate was remarkably high. These players have been at the core of their respective teams' successes and failures for nearly a decade now. They’ve won championships, earned individual accolades, and become household names. When I look at the current PBA rosters, the fingerprints of the 2016 draft are everywhere. It was a draft that required patience for some and yielded immediate returns for others, ultimately providing the league with a wave of talent that has kept the competition fierce and compelling. It’s a class I’ll look back on fondly, not just for the stars it created, but for the countless gritty, hard-fought moments they’ve provided us fans over the years.