PVL to hold inaugural rookie draft

The Premier Volleyball League (PVL) will host its first-ever Rookie Draft on July 6, a landmark event aimed at introducing fresh talent and enhancing competitive balance within the league.

The decision follows the recent success of the PVL All-Filipino Conference, where Creamline triumphed over Choco Mucho to secure its fourth consecutive AFC championship and eighth overall title.

The draft will enable member teams to select players who have not previously competed in the league. The order of selection will be determined by a lottery for the first round and a reverse ranking based on the previous AFC standings for subsequent rounds.

After Creamline and Choco Mucho, the teams are ranked as follows: Petro Gazz, Chery Tiggo, PLDT, Cignal, Akari, Nxled, Farm Fresh, Galeries Tower, Capital1, and Strong Group.

One primary goal of the draft is to prevent bidding wars between teams for players, ensuring a fairer acquisition process. The draft lottery also aims to discourage “tanking” — deliberately losing games to secure a higher draft pick — by not automatically awarding the top pick to the worst-performing team.

Strong Group has a 40% chance of securing the first pick in the lottery scheduled for June 24, followed by Capital1 (30%), Galeries (20%), and Farm Fresh (10%). Teams ranked 8th to 1st in the AFC will pick fifth to 12th in descending order. Subsequent rounds will follow the reverse order of the AFC standings, with the team having the worst record picking first.

“Drafts are the great equalizer in pro leagues. This season, we will hold our first-ever draft with guidelines influenced by some of the top leagues in the world,” said PVL Commissioner Sherwin Malonzo.

Eligibility for the draft requires applicants to be at least 21 years old by Dec. 31, 2024. There is no requirement for collegiate playing experience or academic qualifications. Filipino-foreign applicants must secure a Philippine passport before the submission deadline for draft eligibility requirements on May 31. Alternatively, a birth certificate issued in the Philippines can be submitted.

All applicants must fill out an online form at [PVL Draft Application](http://pvl.ph/draft). Additional requirements and documents must be sent to draft@pvl.ph. The last day for withdrawal is June 12, with the initial list of applicants to be announced on June 14. The draft lottery will be held at the end of the application period.

Players selected in the draft must receive qualifying offers from their teams within 15 calendar days. First-round picks must be offered a minimum three-year contract, while second and later rounds require a minimum one-year contract. Undrafted players signed by teams must receive at least a one-conference contract.

“We are hoping for a huge turnout for the inaugural class of the PVL draft. This is an exciting moment for our league as we take a significant step forward in elevating the level of competition and providing more opportunities for talented athletes,” said Malonzo. “We look forward to seeing the new talent that will emerge and make their mark in the PVL.”

The PVL Rookie Draft Combine, a mandatory two-day event for all applicants, will take place on June 25-26. The combine includes physical measurements, medical tests, interviews, athletic tests, and scrimmages, all observed by coaches and officials. Measurements include height, weight, wingspan, and more, while physical tests cover vertical jumps, shuttle runs, and flexibility assessments. Skill tests evaluate spiking, blocking, serving, receiving, setting, and digging.

Performance in the combine will significantly influence the evaluation and selection of the applicants, ensuring that the most promising talents are identified and drafted.