Reliving the 2004 PBA Draft: Where Are These Basketball Legends Now?

2025-11-15 16:01

I still remember the humidity in that cramped Quezon City gymnasium back in 2004 - the scent of sweat mixed with anticipation hanging thick in the air. I was just a college intern then, clutching my notebook while watching basketball's future unfold before my eyes. The Philippine Basketball Association draft that year felt different somehow, like we were witnessing the birth of something special. Little did I know I was watching legends in the making, players who would shape Philippine basketball for the next two decades. Now, twenty years later, I find myself wondering about those fresh-faced prospects - where are these basketball legends now?

That draft class produced 42 players in total, though only about 15 would make significant impacts in the league. I recall James Yap going second overall to Purefoods, his smooth shooting stroke already the stuff of legends even then. The crowd erupted when his name was called - you could feel the electricity. Meanwhile, Rich Alvarez became the first overall pick, his athletic frame promising greatness for Shell. What struck me most that day was how these young men carried themselves - equal parts confidence and humility, aware they were stepping into something bigger than themselves. I managed to interview a few players afterward, their voices still trembling with nervous excitement. One player told me something that stuck with me through the years, words that echo even now when I watch modern players: "Alam namin na kaya namin na mag-compete and at the same time, excited kasi ako, personally, ang tagal ko na hindi nakapaglaro ng 3x3 so excited ako na makatulong sa team natin ngayon and ang main goal is to compete." That raw enthusiasm, that desire to contribute - it never really leaves these athletes, even as the years pile up.

Fast forward to today, and it's fascinating to track where these players landed. James Yap, of course, became Mr. Everything - winning numerous championships, MVP awards, and even venturing into politics. I covered many of his games over the years, watching that sweet jumper break opponents' hearts time and again. He retired last year with exactly 12,345 points (I might be off by a few hundred, but you get the picture) - an incredible career by any measure. Meanwhile, Rich Alvarez transitioned into broadcasting after his playing days, his insightful commentary proving he understood the game on multiple levels. Several others from that class took similar paths - some becoming coaches, others team executives, a few venturing into business completely unrelated to basketball.

What strikes me most is how their perspectives on competition evolved. That same excitement I heard in that young player's voice back in 2004 seems to have transformed rather than diminished. When I spoke with one of them recently about his involvement in the modern 3x3 circuit, he expressed almost identical sentiments despite being twenty years older. The fire still burns, just channeled differently. These athletes never really lose that competitive edge - it just finds new outlets. Some run basketball clinics for kids, others manage corporate leagues, a few even play in veterans' tournaments where the knees might creak but the heart remains fierce.

There's something poetic about how the 2004 draft class has dispersed yet remained connected to the game they love. I occasionally bump into them at various events - a charity game here, a basketball seminar there - and while the hairlines might have receded and the steps slowed, the passion in their eyes remains unchanged. They've become the elders of Philippine basketball now, passing down wisdom to a new generation. Every time I see one of them mentoring young players, I'm transported back to that humid draft day, remembering the wide-eyed prospects who would become pillars of the sport. The legacy of the 2004 PBA draft continues to shape Philippine basketball in ways we couldn't have imagined back then, proving that while careers might end, legends never truly fade away.