Meralco Bolts Sign's Rookie Pick - PBA 2010 Season

Slowly but surely, the Meralco Bolts are finally building the foundation of a franchise which it hopes would win a first ever Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) championship three years from now.


The team made their major move on that direction Friday when it came to terms with three of the four rookie players it tabbed in the recent PBA Draft.

Bam Gamalinda, Ford Arao and Khazim Mirza were all signed to similar one-year deals by the Bolts worth P1.2 million each, according to team manager Virgil Villavicencio. All three players were picked by Meralco in the second round.

The Bolts only have a single pick in the first round, which they traded to Air21 in order to acquire gunner MacMac Cardona in a three-team, four-player deal that also involved Talk 'N Text.

Bambam Gamalinda

Gamalinda, a member of San Beda's NCAA championship teams, was selected 11th overall and first in the second round by Meralco.

Three picks later at 14th, the Bolts picked Arao, a gangling 6-foot-6 center from Ateneo, before ending their selection by choosing Mirza, the former University of Santo Tomas standout, with the 16th pick.

"It may be only for one year, but it's (deal) a higher and better than the usual contract given to a player who was drafted in the second round," Villavicencio said.

With all three agreeing to a one-year deal with Meralco, Filipino-American Shawn Weinstein is the only player drafted by the Bolts that is unsigned.

Taken by the team at No. 10 overall following a trade with Alaska in exchange for BonBon Custodio, Weinstein played for NCAA Division I school San Diego State University.

Khazim Mirza

Apparently, Weinstein – through his agent, Caloy Allado, the father of Derby Ace forward Don Allado – is negotiating for a more lucrative contract, which Villavicencio finds too expensive especially for a player taken late in the first round.

Negotiations were put on hold until Monday.

"We think that it's too high a price," said Villavicencio. "But we're still negotiating. Hopefully we can agree on the terms and have a deal on Monday."

The addition of the three rookies certainly gives the Bolts fresh legs and talent to complement the presence of their veterans including Cardona, Nelbert Omolon, Chris Ross, Josh Urbiztondo and big man Marlou Aquino, whom Villavicencio assures will be given at least a one-conference contract by the team.

Ford Arao

This developed as No. 6 pick Sean Michael Anthony is also set to sign a deal with Powerade by Monday.

The 6-foot-4 Anthony, according to his agent Charlie Dy, will nearly get the maximum pay allowed for rookies.

The league only allows teams to sign rookie players for a maximum contract of P8.7 million in three years.

Draft picks who earlier signed up with their respective teams include top overall selection Nonoy Baclao, No.2 Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Rey Guevarra (No. 3) for Air21, and Elmer Espiritu (No. 4) for Alaska and Josh Vanlandingham (No. 5) for Rain or Shine. – JVP, GMANews.TV

Sean Anthony