Author: John Michael Decierdo Agustin
As the Philippine Basketball Association enters its 49th season, fans are eagerly anticipating the performances of the league’s top talents. With a mix of seasoned veterans and rising stars ready to make their mark, this season promises to be one of the most exciting yet, especially since the 2024 PBA Draft class is stacked. Here’s a look at the top 10 players you should keep an eye on. These players are ranked based on three things: how popular these players are, the impact they could bring next season, and how excited and eager fans are to watch them set foot on the big stage.
10. Arvin Tolentino (NorthPort Batang Pier)
A superstar with amazing scoring talent and finishing ability, decent defense, and a great body for a shooting guard or small forward. It does look like Arvin Tolentino is the perfect player today with his scoring, rebounding, blocking, and even playmaking.
Tolentino is only 28 years old and is currently in his prime. Although NorthPort isn’t ideally a contender in the next couple of years unless they build a better team around Tolentino, the team’s young core with the addition of Dave Ildefonso and Evan Nelle would be exciting to watch. On one hand, do you think Arvin Tolentino can be a future league MVP?
9. Chris Newsome (Meralco Bolts)
Thanks to Chris Newsome, the Meralco Bolts finally won their first-ever PBA championship since joining the league in 2010. It was definitely a true underdog story as they went toe-to-toe against June Mar Fajardo and the powerhouse team of San Miguel Beermen.
What makes New-New one of the best players to look out for in the upcoming season is how he and the Bolts will try to maintain their championship status with the surge of new talents in the league. While Newsome has been an absolute monster on both ends of the floor, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle has been quite underrated in his career. After winning a chip with the team that drafted him and being an integral part of the Philippine National team, is it already safe to say that Chris Newsome is a top 10 player in the league today?
8. Stephen Holt (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
Coming off a fantastic rookie year, Stephen Jeffrey Holt is one of the best players everyone should be keeping an eye on in season 49. The former first-overall pick and the frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award finished season 48 with averages of 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists per game while also shooting 45% from the field. However, his most notable stat is averaging 2 steals per contest, which makes him an even bigger threat on defense.
Unfortunately, Terrafirma Dyip sent Holt to Barangay Ginebra alongside Isaac Go in a blockbuster trade in exchange for Christian Standardinger and Stanley Pringle. While this move does raise a lot of eyebrows, Ginebra surely got away with the better end of the deal with a 32-year-old Stephen Holt playing like a future MVP.
7. Robert Bolick (NLEX Road Warriors)
Even before leaving PBA for Japan and returning to the Philippines a few months later, Robert Bolick has always been a superstar. In the 2023-2024 Philippine Cup, Bolick was the leading scorer of the league with a 27.4 PPG average, clearing all other players on the list. Not even Calvin Oftana and Arvin Tolentino managed to get past 22 PPG. Aside from his lethal scoring, Bolick is also an excellent playmaker. Last season, he managed to put up 9 or more assists on 5 different occasions and averaged 7 assists per game, another thing where he leads the league.
But, what makes Bolick an interesting player heading into season 49 is the implementation of the 4-point line. Sure, he’s only a 30% to 32% three-point shooter, but his guts to take long bombs from beyond 35 feet makes him one of the guys defenders should take seriously from behind the new 4-point arc.
6. Mark Nonoy (Terrafirma Dyip)
The Terrafirma Dyip made a surprising choice in the 2024 PBA draft by taking former De La Salle Green Archer Mark Nonoy as their 10th pick. Right after winning the UAAP title with Evan Nelle and Kevin Quiambao, the athletic guard decides to take his talents in the biggest league in the country.
The 24-year-old point guard from Negros did impress a lot of scouts during the draft combine despite only standing at 5 feet and 11 inches. Unfortunately, Nonoy and three other Dyip rookies, Hanapi, Catapusan, and Hernandez, will be missing the earlier part of Season 49 due to their pending MPBL contracts. Still, it’s exciting to see what could be Mark Nonoy’s impact on Terrafirma with the departure of Stephen Holt.
5. Caelan Tiongson (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters)
Fans may remember Caelan Tiongson’s stint with the Strong Group Athletics in the Williams Jones Cup and his taking part in Alab Pilipinas in his younger years. Although he’s been long connected to Barangay Ginebra, he was drafted by Rain or Shine this year.
There were some problems after draft day when news broke out that RoS and Tiongson hadn’t come up to a contract yet. Thankfully, the issue was fixed and Tiongson signed a three-year deal with the Elasto Painters. With the addition of Caelang Tiongson and Felix Lemetti in this year’s draft, Rain or Shine is looking mighty stronger compared to last season.
4. RJ Abarrientos (Barangay Ginebra San Miguel)
Seems like Johnny A isn’t the only talented Abarrientos in the family. Ironic and surreal that a new Abarrientos will be yet again under the wings of Coach Time Cone. Coming in at 3rd overall is the Korean Basketball League Rookie of the Year, Rhon Jay Abrrientos.
After leaving KBL in 2023, Abarrientos returns home and plays in the league where his uncle once dominated. With similar basketball skills and IQ, Abarrientos would be a great addition to an aging Ginebra roster.
3. Felix Lemetti (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters)
RoS drafted another foreign name in this year’s draft by taking Felix Lemetti, who played both in the US and Sweden. Aside from videos of his highlights in NCAA and Sweden, we really haven’t seen his true potential yet. Some say he’s a bigger Jimmy Alapag given that he’s an elite shooter or an even better Maverick Ahanmisi.
Being relatively foreign to Filipinos and an enigma of a basketball player makes the 6-foot-1 guard one of the players you must watch in season 49.
2. Sedrick Barefield (Blackwater Bossing)
Blackwater Bossing badly needs an additional piece when it comes to scoring. Troy Rosario and Rey Nambatac are the only guys who average double-digits in points for Blackwater while the aging James Yap and JV Casio are just shells of their former selves. By drafting a huge talent like Filipino-American prospect Sedrick Barefield, Blackwater already gets an instant additional boost in offense. It also helps that Barefield played most of his career abroad, with his latest stint being in the East Asia Super League.
ESPN’s Player Profile for Barefield shows he is a strong, explosive, and quick-as-lightning guard with an elite crossover in his bag. Hopefully, he turns out to be the guy to finally bring Blackwater out of the hole while also not turning into another Mikey Williams. Regardless, it would be very interesting to see him play against Filipino stars next season.
1. Justine Baltazar (Converge FiberXers)
Finally, the biggest fish in the 2024 PBA draft is no other than Justine Baltazar. It’s been a long time coming and Balti finally decides to leave MPBL and join PBA.
Aside from drafting a lot of big men, the FiberXers secured a talented forward in Baltazar in hopes to bring this franchise to the top of the PBA standings. We’ve seen Balti as a Green Archer, a Gilas Pilipinas member, and an MPBL MVP, hence why expectations are high if he could keep the same energy in the PBA. We may be seeing the next star to give Fajardo a run for his money when it comes to winning.
*Cover photo sources: PBA official website, Rappler, Instagram, FIBA , Tiebreaker Times, MPBL Photos.
