Cebuano center Greg Slaughter expected to be no. 1 pick in today’s PBA Rookie Draft

Barring any last-minute change of heart, Ginebra is expected to tab big man Greg Slaughter as the no. 1 overall pick of the PBA Rookie Class 2013, which many predict is one of the deepest pools of talent ever to have applied since the Draft was formally institutionalized in 1985.

The Kings own the top overall pick and have been vocal about leaning on the 6-foot-9 Slaughter in the coveted selection among 79 aspirants.

Slaughter, too, has recently expressed his willingness to play for the crowd-darling Gin Kings.

Should everything go according to plan, Slaughter is bound to become the second straight Cebuano center to emerge as no. 1 overall pick after June Mar Fajardo of Petron last year.

This year’s PBA Rookie Draft will take place at the Midtown Robinson’s Manila.

Slaughter’s impending entry to the big league will pit him once again against Fajardo, a product of the University of Cebu.

The two giants will once again be on a collision course after their storied rivalry in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation Inc. (Cesafi).

The six-foot-11 Slaughter helped the University of the Visayas Green Lancers win the championship title in 2007 at the expense of the Fajardo-led Webmasters.

Slaughter left the Green Lancers in favor of the Ateneo Blue Eagles. This somehow paved way for Fajardo’s surge as he led the Webmasters to back-to-back titles in 2010 and 2011.

After college, Fajardo suited up for San Miguel Beermen in the ASEAN Basketball League.

When he moved up to the pro-league, Fajardo was named the number one overall pick in last year’s Rookie Draft.

Slaughter also made a name for himself while he was with Ateneo as he powered the Blue Eagles to two championship finishes in the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

After Ginebra, the San Mig Coffee Mixers will pick next and are set to draft big man Ian Sangalang. The lanky Raymond Almazan is likely to be picked third overall by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

Other notable aspirants in the draft are Terrence Romeo, RR Garcia, Jeric Teng, Nico Salva and Justin Chua.

From its original list of 85 applicants, the final number has been trimmed down to 79 after two withdrew while four others were stricken out for failing to attend the traditional rookie biometrics without valid reason.

Mar Villahermosa and Jeff Viernes withdrew at the last minute, while those stricken out were Japs Cuan, Mark Berry, Franz Delgado and Jumel Chien.