MANILA: Globalport now has a solid component in its quest to finally be a contender in the Philippine Basketball Association.

The Batang Pier on Sunday afternoon made Fil-American point guard Stanley Pringle as the first overall pick in this season’s Rookie Draft, gaining a vital piece in their aspirations to be able to contend for a crown in Asia’s pioneering professional league.

Pringle will play his first PBA season starting Oct. 19 but won’t be a rookie in the truest sense of the word, having played professionally as an import in several pro leagues around the world.

“I’m very happy to finally be here,” Pringle told scribes, moments after commissioner Chito Salud announced his name at the packed Robinson’s Ermita Atrium area.

Kevin Alas, the former Colegio de San Juan de Letran star in the NCAA, was selected No. 2 by Rain or Shine, which is now preparing for life after Paul Lee after the star guard formally told coach Yeng Guiao of his desire to leave the Elasto Painters.

Lee, who has held out from signing a maximum three-year extension with the Painters, told Guiao in an overseas call from Spain on Saturday morning that he indeed wants to be traded.

There wasn’t much of a surprise in the first round of the Draft other than KIA Motors, one of two expansion teams counting Blackwater Sports, making boxing champion Manny Pacquiao as the 11th overall selection.

Though a no-show, the announcement of Pacquiao drew cheers from the stands, even if he denied a legitimate first round talent to be picked by the expansion ball club. Pacquiao, who didn’t join the proceedings citing personal commitments, will also coach KIA.

Ronald Pascual, a gunslinger out of collegiate power San Sebastian, was selected third overall by San Miguel Beer, which got the right hours before the proceedings after giving up Chico Lanete, Jojo Duncil and two future draft rights to Barako Bull.

Matt Ganuelas, another Fil-American who plays like Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine, was the fourth overall choice, selected by the NLEX Road Warriors, the franchise which bought Air21.

Alaska tabbed Chris Banchero fifth overall, as the Aces acquired one of the top three point guards in the pool who can give JV Casio valuable support.

Crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra snagged Rodney Brondial at sixth before Globalport, picking seventh after giving up future Draft rights to Grand Slam champion San Mig Coffee, selected Anthony Semerad, one of two Fil-American twins in the pool.

There were a total of 87 aspirants with only 45 being selected, most of them by Blackwater and KIA, which had the luxury of picking past the second round unlike the 10 old teams.

Jake Pascual was selected eighth by Barako Bull, before Rain or Shine used its second first round selection on former Adamson swingman Jericho Cruz, a bruiser who plays hard-nosed defense.

David Semerad was made the 10th overall pick before Blackwater, picking last in the first round, snagged Juami Tiongson, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle in the UAAP.

Rome Dela Rosa, son of former Shell forward Romy dela Rosa, was the first choice in the second round and landed with Alaska, with the Elasto Painters taking Kevin Espinosa 14th overall.

Philip Paredes (Barako Bull), Kris Alas (Alaska), Prince Caperal (Golbalport), Harold Arboleda (Talk ‘N Text), Michael Gamboa (Rain or Shine), Gabriel Banal (Barako Bull), Frank Golla (Blackwater) and Kyle Pascual (KIA) rounded out the second round.

Meanwhile, Salud said that he has a special interest in the Paul Lee case since he thinks that there were some serious violations of league rules when Lee’s camp had asked for the release on Friday.

Salud, in talking to media minutes before the Draft, believes that some teams have approached Lee’s agent of their desire to sign up the 6-foot former Rookie of the Year awardee.

With his contract not expiring until Aug. 31, Salud said that Lee could have violated the tampering rule of the league, which carries a severe penalty that has all sorts of consequences.

Salud also said that he wants to know the root of Lee’s wish to transfer.

“It could involve breach of rules. There could be premature negotiations and tampering,” Salud said. “I want this to be clear to all our players, you cannot simply be whimsical or capricious.”