Carlos, Paat, fail to enter Korean League after going undrafted

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Tots Carlos and Mylene Paat, two of the biggest stars in the Philippine volleyball scene, went undrafted in the 2024 Korean Volleyball League (KOVO) confirmed on May 1, 2024.

The two PHL volleyball outside hitters’ names weren’t called during the KOVO drafting ceremony held at Jeju Sun Hotel in Jeju-do, South Korea.

Several days ago, Carlos and Paat had to sacrifice a game in the ongoing Premier Volleyball League (PVL) All-Filipino Conference round-robin semifinals just to travel to Korea and participate in the pre-daft workouts.

With their absences, both of their mother franchises, the Creamline Cool Smashers and the Chery Tiggo Crossovers, all lost their first-round games.

That was Carlos’ first time to submit an international drafting entry after spending all of her professional playing years with the Cool Smashers.

Paat on the other hand already failed twice after testing the KOVO waters last year. The leftie spiker suffered the same fate this edition after a single franchise didn’t pick her name in the draft.

Aside from Carlos and Paat, MJ Phillips, the middle blocker of the Petro Gazz Angels, didn’t replicate her achievement after becoming the fifth overall pick during last year’s draft and was selected by the Gwangju Al Peppers.

Despite gaining familiarity in the Korean style of play, Phillips was also not picked, including her former team Gwangju.