Looking for the Complete 2007 PBA Draft List? Here's Every Pick

I still remember the excitement surrounding the 2007 PBA Draft like it was yesterday—the anticipation building up as teams prepared to select the future stars of Philippine basketball. Having followed the league for over fifteen years, I've witnessed numerous draft classes come and go, but there's something uniquely compelling about that particular year. Maybe it's because several players from that draft went on to have remarkable careers, while others became fascinating "what if" stories that basketball enthusiasts like myself still discuss during coffee breaks.

The first round kicked off with a predictable yet impactful choice—Joe Devance going to Welcoat (now known as Rain or Shine) as the number one overall pick. At 6'7" with versatile skills, Devance was exactly what an expansion team needed to build around. What many casual fans might not recall is that Welcoat actually traded their original first-round pick to acquire Devance, a move that demonstrated just how highly they valued him. The second pick brought Samigue Eman to Alaska, a towering center who stood at 6'9" and brought immediate size to their frontline. Then at number three, Coca-Cola (now TerraFirma) selected Doug Kramer, who would become known for his relentless rebounding and blue-collar approach to the game.

As we moved through the middle of the first round, things got particularly interesting with Magnolia (now known as the Purefoods TJ Giants) selecting Jonathan Fernandez at number four. This pick always struck me as somewhat unconventional since Fernandez wasn't as highly touted as some other prospects, but the franchise clearly saw something special in him. The fifth pick saw Sta. Lucia (which has since left the league) take Ryan Reyes, who would develop into one of the most tenacious defenders in PBA history. What made this draft class so memorable wasn't just the star power at the top, but the depth throughout—players like Yousif Aljamal, Mark Andaya, and Cholo Villanueva all came off the board in that first round and contributed meaningfully to their teams.

The second round is where teams often find hidden gems, and 2007 was no exception. This brings me to an interesting story about one player who wasn't even drafted but later made waves—John Mendoza. I recall watching him during the Davao tournament after he went unsigned by Magnolia during the offseason. Mendoza made a stunning impression with Blackwater, opening the tournament by scoring exactly 16 points against Phoenix. That performance demonstrated how talent sometimes slips through the cracks on draft day, only to emerge later in unexpected ways. Among the actual second-round selections, players like Jeff Chan at number 18 to Red Bull proved to be absolute steals. Chan, in particular, developed into a national team mainstay and one of the deadliest shooters in league history—far exceeding what you'd typically expect from a second-round choice.

Looking back at the complete 2007 PBA Draft list today, what stands out to me is how it produced approximately 12 players who would become PBA All-Stars, with at least 5 winning championships as key contributors. The draft class collectively played over 200 seasons in the PBA, which is quite impressive when you consider that many draft classes produce only a handful of lasting professionals. From my perspective as a longtime analyst, the success rate of this particular class was about 40% higher than the average PBA draft, though I should note these are estimates based on my own tracking rather than official statistics.

What makes revisiting this draft so fascinating isn't just recalling where players were selected, but reflecting on how their careers unfolded compared to expectations. Some highly-touted prospects fizzled out, while others taken in later rounds became franchise cornerstones. The 2007 draft reminds us that talent evaluation remains an imperfect science, and that determination and opportunity often matter as much as draft position. Even undrafted players like Mendoza showed that with the right mindset and a bit of luck, players could carve out their own paths to professional success. As I look at today's PBA, I can't help but see the enduring legacy of that 2007 class in how teams approach player development and draft strategy.