Six-foot-ten Geo Chiu heads to Terrafirma as the first overall pick of the PBA Season 50 Rookie Draft.
For the second straight season, a big man emerged as the top pick in the PBA Rookie Draft.
After Justine Baltazar in Season 49, former Ateneo big man Geo Chiu was selected first overall for Season 50, and will provide a welcome addition of height to Terrafirma Dyip with his six-foot-ten frame.
“I’m really blessed to be a first pick because it’s not an opportunity that you really get [everyday], and I’m just really grateful for the team for believing in me, for choosing me. Ibabalik ko din sa kanila ‘yung trust and makapag-help to get more wins,” Chiu said along the sidelines of the draft festivities last Sunday, September 7.
While he was tagged as the top overall pick in some mock drafts, Chiu was nonetheless surprised that those predictions came true during draft night.
“Syempre, hindi po. You see all these speculations around social media, but like nothing’s final unless you get called, so very surprised pa rin naman and I’m just really happy,” Chiu said when asked about the said mock drafts.
The big man’s resumé includes a lengthy stay with Tab Baldwin’s Ateneo Blue Eagles in the UAAP, alongside short stints with the Taiwan Mustangs and Ehime Orange Vikings in the Japan B.League.
Chiu is also seeing action in the MPBL with the Abra Weavers, where he is averaging 6.2 points 5.7 rebounds, and one block in nine games played. Given everything, the former Ateneo big is expected to be a project once he debuts in the PBA.
“Siguro for now, I can be able to offer ‘yung size, and that will be a big help sa team, given na some players, like si Kenmark [Cariño] are injured also. So habang wala pa si Kenmark, we could provide good rebounding and ‘yung hustle, ganyan,” Chiu, the tallest player of this year’s draft class, said.
However, it may take some time before Chiu suits up for Terrafirma, given that the MPBL season is set to run until December, and the Weavers are expected to make a deep run in the postseason.
But what happens if Abra suffers an early exit? Chiu said that it will depend on what he and management will discuss in the event that it happens.
“I have yet to talk to them the specific details of it. But if ever naman na — wag naman sana — we don’t reach where we want to reach, then open naman to go pa rin [with Terrafirma] para makapag-start na rin,” he said.
Regardless, Chiu is just excited to see his PBA dreams come true, and while being a first-overall pick comes with expectations, the big man plans to take things step-by-step.
“‘Yung pressure naman, nandiyan ‘yan palagi eh. Siguro it’s just more on trying to enjoy, and we have three conferences ‘di ba? Parang ang tagal ng conference na ‘yun and there is so much time for me to grow. I have to pressure myself to perform, but at the same time, parang I wanna enjoy also the experience of my rookie year in the PBA.”
Banner images from the PBA Media Bureau.