The Converge FibrXers select Justine Baltazar with the first overall pick during the PBA Season 49 Draft in Makati City on July 14, 2024. Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN NewsMANILA (2nd UPDATE) — The Converge FiberXers have officially landed their main man of the present and the future.

This, after the Aldin Ayo-mentored squad selected Justine Baltazar as the first overall pick in the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft today at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati.

Baltazar, the 6-foot-7 Pampanga star, will join  a Converge squad that had a subpar showing in their Season 48 campaign, and they will be banking on Balti, Justin Arana, Alec Stockton, Aljun Melecio, and the rest of the FiberXers to finally make a splash in the league.

However, Baltazar is first expected to finish his contract with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) as they look to retain their title before he finally joins the active lineup of Converge. 

Balti on potentially joining Converge as top pick: 'Malaking bagay ako doon'

Meanwhile, Sedrick Barefield is Blackwater Bossing’s newest guard after they selected him with the second overall pick, while another Abarrientos will play for Tim Cone as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel drafted RJ Abarrientos with the No. 3 pick.

Here's a recap of the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft:

FIRST ROUND:

1. Converge - Justine Baltazar

2. Blackwater - Sedrick Barefield

3. Ginebra - RJ Abarrientos

4. Phoenix - Kai Ballungay

5. NorthPort - Dave Ildefonso

6. NLEX - Jonnel Policarpio

7. Rain Or Shine - Caelan Tiongson

8. Rain Or Shine - Felix Lemetti

9. Magnolia - Jerom Lastimosa

10. TerraFirma - Mark Nonoy

11. Meralco - CJ Cansino

12. San Miguel - Avan Nava

SECOND ROUND:

1. Rain Or Shine - Francis Escandor

2. NorthPort - Evan Nelle

3. TerraFirma - CJ Catapusan

4. Rain Or Shine - Mike Malonzo

5. Ginebra - Didat Hanapi

6. NLEX - Brandon Ramirez

7. Converge - Paolo Javillonar

8. Rain Or Shine - Miggy Corteza

9. Converge - Ben Phillips

10. Ginebra - Paolo Hernandez

11. Meralco - Kurt Reyson

12. Converge - Jason Credo

THIRD ROUND:

1. Converge - Ronan Santos

2. Blackwater - DJ Mitchell

3. TerraFirma - Peter Alfaro

4. Phoenix - CJ Payawal

5. NorthPort - Agem Miranda

6. NLEX - Xyrus Torres

7. TNT - Jared Brown

8. Rain Or Shine - Darwish Bideri 

9. Magnolia - Romulo Berjay

10. Ginebra - Paul Garcia

11. Meralco - JP Maguliano

12. San Miguel - Abdul Sawat

FOURTH ROUND:

1. Converge – PASS

2. Blackwater – Keith Pido

3. TerraFirma – PASS

4. Phoenix – Chino Mosqueda

5. NorthPort – John Lawrence Uduba

6. NLEX – Denzel Wong

7. TNT – Mark Neil Cruz

8. Rain or Shine – PASS

9. Magnolia – Ry dela Rosa

10. Barangay Ginebra – PASS

11. Meralco – Jordan Bartlett

12 San Miguel – Ralph Robin

FIFTH ROUND:

1. Converge – PASS

2. Blackwater – PASS

3. TerraFirma – PASS

4. Phoenix – Patrick Feliciano

5. NorthPort – Germy Mahinay

6. NLEX – Adrian Partosa

7. TNT – PASS

8. Rain or Shine – PASS

9. Magnolia – PASS

10. Ginebra – PASS

11. Meralco – PASS

12. San Miguel – PASS

SIXTH ROUND:

1. Converge – PASS

2. Blackwater – PASS

3. TerraFirma – PASS

4. Phoenix – PASS

5. NorthPort – Robbi Darang

6. NLEX – PASS

7. TNT – PASS

8. Rain or Shine – PASS

9. Magnolia – PASS

10. Ginebra – PASS

11. Meralco – PASS

12. San Miguel – PASS

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