By REYNALD MAGALLON
Sonny Estil may have made heads turn when he won the 2025 PBA draft combine MVP award but still, it came as a shock for him that it boosted his stock to the point of landing late in the first round.
But it turns out, Barangay Ginebra sees all the things they need from Estil to pick him 11th overall in the draft proceedings on Sunday, Sept. 7 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.
Cone admitted that Estil was not even on their radar heading into the rookie draft but took the gamble in picking him early after impressing in the combine.
“We weren’t thinking about our draft pick at all in terms of, you know, he wasn’t even in our radar until we saw him in the combine,” admitted the veteran coach who was not even in town during the combine and only saw him through videos by the Kings staff.
“I was watching our videos and the games of the combine, and I really liked this kid that was playing. Then when I flew back here, I arrived in the morning, I looked up in the news, and I found out that he won the MVP,” he added.
The veteran mentor was so impressed by Estil that he thought the 6-foot-3 winger wouldn’t be anymore available when it’s their turn to pick at the 11th spot.
According to Cone, he just saw a lot of upside in the 24-year-old player especially at the wing spot which was left with a huge void for Ginebra following the departure of Jamie Malonzo.
“We thought, well, maybe we can’t get him anymore. Someone might pick him early because he won the MVP, got the attention. But, you know, we just think he’s a kid that has a lot of potential,” Cone said of Estil.
“He’s athletic. He runs the floor well. He gets to the basket well. He’s got good size for his position, which is important. And we just felt that he had a really high upside,” he added.
Cone, however, isn’t particularly known for immediately giving big minutes to his rookies – with a few exceptions in the likes of Scottie Thompson and RJ Abarrientos – although the multi-titled mentor is hoping that Estil will work for his minutes for the team.
Estil was one of the Ginebra’s only three draftees in this year’s edition with big men Mario Barasi and Cedrick Abis being the other two who the Kings picked with 13th and 23rd overall picks.
“It’s a great story. Guy coming from nowhere and then ended up being a first-round pick for Ginebra. I hope it ends up with a happy ending. I hope he earns a spot and he becomes a really good player for us,” said Cone.
“That would be a great ending to a great story.”
