soccer games today

I still remember the excitement surrounding the 2007 PBA Draft like it was yesterday. The atmosphere at the Market! Market! place in Taguig was electric, with fans and analysts alike buzzing about which prospects would transform their favorite franchises. Sixteen years later, I find myself reflecting on how those top picks have navigated the unpredictable waters of professional basketball careers. As someone who has followed Philippine basketball for over two decades, I've developed a particular fascination with tracking how draft classes evolve - the superstars who exceed expectations, the solid role players who carve out meaningful careers, and the unfortunate cases of unfulfilled potential.

Looking at that 2007 draft class today, what strikes me most is how dramatically different each player's journey has been. The first overall pick, Joe Devance, went to Welcoat (now known as Rain or Shine), and what an inspired choice that turned out to be. Devance would eventually become one of the most decorated players in PBA history with 8 championships to his name before his retirement in 2021. I've always admired players like Devance who maximize their skills rather than relying purely on athleticism, and his ability to reinvent himself multiple times throughout his career was truly remarkable. He played for five different teams, proving his versatility and basketball IQ time and again.

The second pick, James Yap, needs little introduction to any Filipino basketball fan. Selected by Purefoods (now Magnolia), Yap would become not just a basketball star but a genuine celebrity. With two MVP awards and 7 championships, his resume speaks for itself, though I've always felt his game was sometimes overshadowed by his off-court fame. At 41, he's still contributing meaningful minutes, which is almost unheard of in today's game. I remember watching him drop 30 points seemingly at will during his prime, that sweet shooting stroke never failing him in crucial moments.

Then there's Samigue Eman, the third overall pick by Alaska, who represents what I consider the draft's biggest mystery. Standing at 6'9", he had all the physical tools to dominate, yet he never quite put it all together in the PBA. He bounced around several teams before finding his way to the MPBL, where he's had somewhat of a career resurgence. Cases like Eman's always make me wonder about the immense pressure we put on high draft picks and how the wrong situation can derail even the most promising careers.

The fourth selection, Jayson Castro, might just be my personal favorite success story from this draft. Taken by Talk 'N Text (now TNT), Castro would develop into arguably the best point guard of his generation and earn the nickname "The Blur" for his explosive speed. Watching him dismantle defenses during his prime was pure basketball joy. At 37, he's still capable of taking over games, which speaks volumes about his conditioning and skill evolution. His international performances against world-class competition, particularly during the 2014 FIBA World Cup where he averaged 21 points per game, cemented his status as an all-time great in Philippine basketball.

What's fascinating about tracking these careers is seeing how their legacy continues to influence today's game. Just recently, Tropang 5G team manager Jojo Lastimosa made comments following their resident import's social media post about seeking NBA training camp opportunities. This reminded me how the landscape has changed since 2007 - today's players have more avenues and opportunities than ever before. The players from that draft class navigated a different era of Philippine basketball, one without the same social media exposure or international pathways that exist now.

When I step back and assess the entire 2007 draft class, what stands out isn't just the individual achievements but how these players shaped the league's evolution. We had franchise cornerstones like Yap and Castro, versatile pieces like Devance, and yes, some disappointments like Eman. But that's what makes draft retrospectives so compelling - they're not just about basketball talent but about human journeys, about how circumstances, work ethic, and sometimes plain luck conspire to create wildly different outcomes from similar starting points.

The conversation started by Lastimosa about imports seeking NBA opportunities makes me wonder how different the careers of these 2007 draftees might have been with today's globalized basketball environment. Could we have seen a PBA player make the jump to the NBA? It's an intriguing thought experiment, though ultimately unknowable. What we do know is that the 2007 draft produced players who gave Filipino basketball fans countless memories and helped elevate the local game to new heights. As I look at today's younger players entering the league, I can't help but measure them against the standard set by that remarkable 2007 class - a group that included both flashy superstars and quiet professionals, all contributing to the rich tapestry of Philippine basketball history in their own unique ways.