MANILA, Philippines - Maliban sa paghirang ng Petron Blaze kay 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo bilang No. 1 overall pick ng 2012 PBA Rookie Draft noong Linggo ay napag-usapan din ang ginawang paghakot ng B-Meg sa ilang malalaking players.
Makikilala bilang San Mig Coffee Mixers sa darating na 38th season sa Setyembre 30, hinugot ni head coach Tim Cone ang mga higanteng sina 6’6 Aldrech Ramos ng Far Eastern University sa first round, 6’5 Jewel Ponferada ng National University sa second round at 6’7 Gian Chiu, dating Blue Eaglet ng Ateneo.
Ayon kay Cone, ngayon pa lamang ay iniisip na niya ang edad nina 6’8 Rafi Reavies, 6’8 Yancy De Ocampo at 6’4 Marc Pingris.
“You don’t get to see a lot of available big men during the draft. And since Rafi is now 35 years old, we felt we could somehow groom Aldrich (Ramos) to eventually replace him,” wika ni Cone.
Si Ramos ay naglaro para sa Smart Gilas ni Serbian mentor Rajko Toroman.
Bago makuha si Ramos ay ipinamigay muna ng Coffee Mixers ang kanilang No. 9 overall pick sa first round kasama si Val Acuna sa Global Port, bumili sa prangkisa ng Powerade Tigers, kapalit ni Sean Anthony.
Dinala naman ng San Mig Coffee ang 6’4 na si Anthony sa Barako Bull para mahugot si Ramos kasama ang second round 12th overall pick ng Mixers na ginamit ng Energy Cola para kunin si Dave Marcelo ng San Beda.
“Sean would have been a nice addition. It would have been nice if we kept Sean,” paliwanag ni Cone sa pagbitaw nila kay Anthony. “Barako was specific they wanted Sean so we really had to go out and get Sean if we were to get Ramos.”
Napanood na rin ni Cone si Ramos sa ilang laro ng Smart Gilas I at maging sa San Miguel rookie camp.
“When he played with the San Miguel rookie camp recently, he didn’t miss either. He had a good nose for the ball and jumps well,” wika ni Cone sa dating Tamaraw ng FEU.