Melecio on Joining the PBA Rookie Draft: "A Last-Minute Decision"

Aljun Melecio is just one of the 97 players who are set to join the 2021 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Rookie Draft. He suited up for the De La Salle Green Archers during his highlight-filled career in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). He still has one more year of eligibility left but he made a difficult decision to forego a swan song in the collegiate ranks and throw his name into a talent-rich draft pool. 

It turned out to be a last-minute decision by the soon-to-be-former Green Archer.

Melecio was a guest on Monday's episode of Off the Record with Migs and Cesca that served as a virtual reunion between the 21-year old draft hopeful and Migs Bustos actually coached Melecio when he was still playing for the De La Salle Zobel squad. 

For Melecio, the current situation that is brought about by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic has used him to decide to join the draft on March 14.

"During this pandemic, everything that is happening is uncertain and there's no assurance when the UAAP will start. So thought that it's time for me to enter the draft," he began. 

He later reiterated. "It wasn't easy to decide to join the draft. I talked to my coaches, to the managers," Melecio added, "I was given the go-signal,"

He also explained why it was a last-minute decision. 

"I really decided on the last minute. It was three days before (January 27) or two days. I talked to Coach Derrick (Pumaren) about what he thinks would be better for me. He just said that it's okay that I'll join the draft but he also said that he'll prefer that I stay in La Salle. But, it's okay for him  that I join the draft because the UAAP season (this year) is not yet sure,"

As Cesca Litton-Kalaw said towards the end of the episode, "He had to make that hard choice. He had to make that decision and he's sticking with it," 

In Season 82 of the UAAP, Melecio averaged 10 points, three rebounds, and three assists per game while shooting 34% from the field. He is projected to be picked in the late second round of the March 14 draft proceedings. 

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