Looking Back at the 2018 PBA Draft: Key Picks and Where They Are Now

I still remember the buzz surrounding the 2018 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 comes when young dreams are on the line. As a longtime follower of the league, I’ve always found drafts fascinating—they’re not just about selecting players; they’re about building futures, and the 2018 class was touted as one that could reshape team fortunes for years to come. Fast forward to today, and it’s the perfect time for a retrospective, to look back at the 2018 PBA Draft, examining the key picks and where they are now. Some have become cornerstones of their franchises, while others have taken more winding paths, their careers a testament to the unpredictable nature of professional sports.

The top of that draft was dominated by a clear consensus: CJ Perez. The Lyceum standout was a scoring machine in the NCAA, and the Columbian Dyip, holding the first overall pick, didn’t overthink it. I’ll admit, I thought he was a can’t-miss prospect. His explosive athleticism and relentless attacking style seemed tailor-made for the PBA’s pace. He didn’t disappoint, immediately winning Rookie of the Year and establishing himself as a premier scorer. His journey since, however, has been one of refinement. A trade to the TerraFirma Dyip (formerly Columbian) and then to San Miguel Beermen forced him to adapt his game. He’s no longer just a volume scorer; he’s become a more complete player, a key piece on a championship-contending team. It’s a success story, but one that required evolution.

Then there was the second pick, Bobby Ray Parks Jr., a player whose talent was never in question but whose path to the PBA was anything but straightforward. After stints abroad, his arrival was met with immense fanfare. He was immediately seen as the potential face of the Blackwater franchise. I remember thinking he had the highest ceiling of anyone in that draft—a versatile wing who could score, defend, and create. His early years showed flashes of that brilliance, but consistency and team success were elusive. His recent move to the TNT Tropang Giga has been a fascinating development. He’s now in a system that demands excellence and surrounded by other stars, which seems to have unlocked a new level of efficiency in his game. It feels like he’s finally found the right environment to fully realize his prodigious potential.

But the draft isn't just about the top two. The third pick, Javee Mocon, went to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and quickly became a fan favorite for his blue-collar work ethic and surprising versatility. He was the kind of player every winning team needs—the glue guy. His recent transfer to the Phoenix Fuel Masters marks a new chapter where his role will likely expand. Another standout from the first round was Abu Tratter, picked fourth by the Alaska Aces. His energy and physicality in the paint were immediately noticeable, and he’s since carved out a solid career, now with the NLEX Road Warriors. These players represent the solid, if not always spectacular, foundation that drafts are built upon.

What many fans don’t see, however, is the grind behind the glory. The life of a professional athlete, especially during the off-season or in the bubble setups we saw during the pandemic, is one of intense repetition and isolation. This is where that snippet from the PLDT players comes to mind. I recall seeing those social media posts—players sharing scenes inside their gym and a few activities they did to pass the time, including eating and even setting up an improvised karaoke session. It’s a powerful reminder. These athletes we critique on a nightly basis are people. That improvised karaoke session wasn’t just a way to kill time; it was a vital act of team bonding, a release valve for the immense pressure they’re under. The players from the 2018 draft class, whether they became stars or role players, all went through similar periods of grinding in empty gyms and finding ways to stay connected. That shared experience, that human element, is as much a part of their development as any playbook.

Of course, not every story from that draft has a happy ending. For every CJ Perez, there are players selected in the later rounds who struggled to find their footing or have already faded from the league. That’s the brutal math of professional sports. The draft is an inexact science, a gamble based on collegiate performance, potential, and sometimes, just plain luck. Some players’ games just don’t translate to the professional level, no matter how dominant they were in college. It’s a tough reality, but it’s what makes the success stories so compelling.

So, where does this leave us when we look back at the 2018 PBA Draft? I’d call it a solid B+. It produced a bona fide superstar in Perez, a high-level talent in Parks who is finally hitting his stride, and several quality rotation players like Mocon and Tratter who are valuable assets to their teams. It didn’t necessarily produce a generational talent that single-handedly changed the league, but it injected a significant dose of youth, athleticism, and skill. The key picks from that evening have largely lived up to their billing, albeit in their own unique ways and timelines. As I watch these players now, years into their careers, I’m reminded that a draft isn’t an endpoint. It’s a starting line. The true measure of a draft class isn’t taken on the night they hear their name called, but years later, when we see the men and the professionals they have become. And from my vantage point, the class of 2018 has grown up quite nicely.