Andre Paras Applies for the PBA Draft: Additional Talent to a Deep Class

It's only a matter of time until another Pares enters the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) who will follow the footsteps of one Benjie Paras.

It isn't the Paras everyone is expecting.

If things go well, Andre Paras could be the first of the two Paras boys to enter the professional ranks as his younger brother, Kobe Paras, is still doing Kobe Paras things in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). On Monday, Andre, who also spent a season with the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons, came to the PBA office in Libis, Quezon City to submit his application to join the 2021 PBA Rookie Draft. While he has been known more as an actor with GMA Network, the older Paras has played a significant amount of basketball in the past- most notably in the PBA D-League where he even grabbed 22 rebounds in one game. He also suited up for the Imus Bandera in the 2018-2019 season of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). 

What makes this move from Andre Paras surprising to many is that he is busy with doing shows for GMA and that, he hasn't been seen playing actively but observers believe that if Andre can regain that bruiser persona he was known for during his stint in the D-League, interests from PBA teams will rain down on him come draft day. 

For a potential draft class that is loaded with the likes of Jaime Malonzo, Joshua Munzon, and Alvin Pasaol, Andre Paras' decision to join the PBA draft only proves what Enzo Flojo and Gilas Pilipinas Head Coach Jong Uichico said in last Saturday's episode of Bull By the Horn by Benny Benitez: "This is a very deep draft (class),"

Photo is from GMA Network