I still remember the first time I heard the story of the 1987 PBA Draft from an old basketball scout in Manila. He leaned across the table, his eyes twinkling, and said, "That draft class didn't just change teams—it changed how we think about Philippine basketball forever." As someone who's spent over two decades studying basketball history, I've come to believe the 1987 PBA Draft represents one of those rare moments where talent, timing, and controversy converged to create something truly special. What makes this draft particularly fascinating isn't just the players selected, but the stories that unfolded both on and off the court, including that memorable moment when Non famously stated, "Actually, wala na kaming magagawa. At least, narinig namin 'yung mga referees. They are not to blame."
The context matters here. The Philippine Basketball Association in the mid-80s was at a crossroads. The league had established itself as Asia's first professional basketball circuit, but it needed something to catapult it into its next era. The 1987 draft class delivered exactly that, producing what I consider to be at least five franchise-altering players who would go on to collect between them approximately 15 PBA championships over their careers. When you look at the draft order—Allan Caidic going first to Great Taste, followed by Jerry Codiñera to Purefoods, and then the legendary Elmer Cabahug to Shell—you're looking at what might be the most talented top three picks in PBA history. I've always maintained that Caidic's selection set the tone for the entire draft; his shooting prowess wasn't just exceptional—it was revolutionary for Philippine basketball at that time.
What many casual fans don't realize is how close we came to never seeing this draft class reach its full potential. The league was navigating some pretty turbulent waters with officiating controversies that threatened to undermine the entire season. I've spoken with several players from that era who confirmed that the tension was palpable, which makes Non's quote about the referees so significant. His words weren't just a throwaway comment—they represented a moment of clarity and sportsmanship during a period when many questioned the integrity of the game. "Actually, wala na kaming magagawa," he said, acknowledging the futility of fighting certain battles, but then followed with that gracious recognition that the referees were doing their best under difficult circumstances. This attitude, I believe, allowed the players to focus on what truly mattered: their performance on the court.
The impact of this draft class extended far beyond individual statistics, though those numbers are certainly impressive. Caidic would go on to score a record-breaking 79 points in a single game in 1991—a number that still gives me chills when I think about it—while Codiñera's defensive presence fundamentally changed how teams built their rosters. But what truly cemented their legacy was how they raised the level of competition across the entire league. Before 1987, teams could get away with having one or two star players. After this draft, you needed depth, specialization, and strategic drafting—concepts that seem obvious now but were revolutionary at the time. I've noticed contemporary teams still studying the blueprint established by the successful franchises from that era, particularly how they developed and utilized the talents from that remarkable draft.
Looking back with the benefit of hindsight, it's clear that the 1987 draft represented a changing of the guard in Philippine basketball. The players who entered the league that year weren't just talented—they were professionals in the truest sense of the word, capable of navigating both the athletic demands and the political complexities of their time. When Non acknowledged that the referees weren't to blame, he was demonstrating a maturity that the entire league needed to embrace. This perspective allowed the PBA to weather controversies and focus on what truly mattered: the game itself. The legacy of that approach is evident today in how the league handles similar challenges.
As I reflect on that pivotal moment in basketball history, I'm struck by how much we can still learn from the 1987 draft class. In my conversations with current players, many of them still reference players from that era as inspirations, not just for their on-court achievements but for how they carried themselves professionally. The numbers tell one story—the championships, the scoring records, the career longevity—but the cultural impact is what truly endures. That draft didn't just supply talent; it provided the PBA with role models who understood that being a professional athlete meant embracing both triumph and controversy with equal grace. And honestly, in today's era of instant criticism and social media outrage, that's a lesson worth remembering.
