Newly-appointed Phoenix Fuel Masters coach Willy Wilson has a clear vision for the PBA Season 50 Draft: securing a big man who can hold his own against the league’s premier giants.
For the PBA Season 50 Draft, new Phoenix Fuel Masters head coach Willy Wilson is searching for one type of player: a big man sturdy enough to stake his claim in the paint and hold his own against the league’s premier giants.
“We’re really lacking a true center. Obviously, we’re not going to get someone like June Mar Fajardo, but if we can find somebody who can at least make him work defensively, that would be a welcome addition for us,” Wilson said on One Sports' Play by Play.
Kai Ballungay, Phoenix’s fourth overall pick in last year’s draft, stands as the tallest player on the roster at 6-foot-7.
However, his size only partially fills the gap left by former big man Larry Muyang, who was handed an indefinite league ban last April for playing for another team in another league.
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The absence of a dominant presence in the paint has heightened the urgency for Phoenix to secure a powerful, physical enforcer in the middle—not only to battle the likes of Fajardo but also to contend with Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar of the Converge FiberXers among others.
“We just need to add more height to the team so that we can compete at that level. We want to be able to match up with them height-wise,” Wilson added.
The 45-year-old, who replaced now-team consultant Jamike Jarin just last week, expressed confidence in the roster he inherited. While Wilson believes that Phoenix has an abundance of talent, the one-time PBA champion sees what’s missing: a rhythm of consistent victories.
“We have a lot of talent on our roster. We have the best power forward in the PBA today in Jason Perkins. We have rising stars in Tyler Tio, [Kenneth] Tuffin, and Kai Ballungay. We have a solid group of 3-and-D players in Sean Manganti and Raffy Verano, and some veterans in RR Garcia and Jjay Alejandro.”
“So, we have a good combination of players. It’s just about them working together and finding out what it feels like to win consistently.”
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And should lady luck not favor Phoenix in the Season 50 Draft, Wilson has one clear fallback plan:
“If not, it’s about getting the best available talent,” he said.