Guiao eyes ‘bigs’ in PBA draft

Yeng Guiao PBA PHOTO

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is taking the long offseason break as an opportunity to evaluate the team’s assets, as well as carefully study the incoming pool of talent that will be throwing its hat in the 2023 PBA Rookie Draft slated some time this September.

Guiao admitted that the Elasto Painters are in a good position to boost their roster, which goes well in their direction to inject new blood to a team that won just 11 of 34 games in the 2022-23 PBA season.

“It is a good opportunity for the team this offseason to improve on some of our weaknesses (coming) from our last two conferences,” Guaio said, who rejoined the team at the start of the Commissioner’s Cup since spending the last six years coaching NLEX.

With the team owning the third and fourth picks in the coming PBA draft, Guiao said the team intends to select quality big men in the team’s bid to be able to match up with perennial powerhouse squads like San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra, TNT and Magnolia.

“We will see who among the big men are available in the draft because we have the third and fourth picks. Currently, we are looking and scouting and evaluating our options because we don’t want to make a mistake in using these picks,” explained the seven-time PBA champion coach.

“The coaching staff and myself are looking already for the prospect and the future of our team, how to make adjustments to our lineup at the 3 and 4,” explained Guiao. “We have to make way for the warm bodies coming in.”

Rain or Shine, which began team practice shortly after the Holy Week last April, played a scrimmage game last week against Indonesian Basketball League club team Dewa United held at the Acropolis gym in Quezon City.

The Elasto Painters overpowered the visiting Indonesian squad, 92-45.