MANILA: Yeng Guiao has always had the flair for the dramatic.

And on PBA Draft Day where the first two picks were no-brainers, Guiao came up with a selection that had everyone asking why and putting the rest of the first round of the proceedings in disarray for the other teams.

Picking third overall, Guiao and the Elasto Painters passed up on some big names and selected Fil-American point guard Maverick Ahanmisi, a relative unknown that had the Robinson’s Place Manila crowd abuzz and the coaches of the other teams scampering to alter their plans for the rest of the first round.

Talk ‘N Text and Mahindra (formerly KIA Motors) owned the first two picks and exercised them on the absent Moala Tautuaa and Troy Rosario, respectively, selections that were made known weeks ago which left the Elasto Painters under the spotlight.

Guiao later on bared that he was looking at former NCAA MVP Scottie Thompson or Art dela Cruz only to be “overruled” by members of his coaching staff and two sons of Raymund Yu, one of the co-owners of Rain or Shine.

“I thought he was a real legitimate first rounder,” Guiao said of Ahanmisi, a 6-foot-1 point guard who played for the University of Minnesota from 2010-2014 but averaged forgettable numbers before moving to the Philippines to play in the PBA D-League.

“I had doubts (on Ahanmisi). But he was highly recommended, and if they believe in him that much, I can allow myself to be overruled,” explained Guiao. “I saw in the games (with Café France), he really has a high upside.

“He can certainly make an impact in the PBA.”

Ahanmisi averaged less than three points and one rebound a contest in college before packing his bags to suit up with Café France in the local developmental league.

Ahanmisi helped the Bakers win the Foundation Cup by leading the squad in scoring with a shade under 14 points a contest that went with 6.8 rebounds and four assists.

“It was a shock for me,” Ahanmisi said on the selection. “I thought I would be going 7th, 8th or 9th.”

Tautuaa and Rosario are in Estonia with the Gilas Pilipinas team that wound up winless in a four-nation tournament.

The 6-foot-7 Tautuaa is a Filipino-Tongan like Asi Taulava and will come to a Talk ‘N Text crew that really needs the size to be able to contend with the other powerhouses in the league once again.

In an interview with Sports5, which also covered the Estonia tournament, Tautuaa said that missing this career milestone was worth it if he can help Gilas toughen up for the Fiba-Asia Championship set in Changsha, China late next month.

“This is like a dream come true, this is for everything that I have worked hard for,” said Tautuaa in the interview.

Rosario, meanwhile has been the subject of trade talk weeks ago, though no deal actually got sealed during Draft Day after new commissioner Chito Narvasa asked all the teams to refrain from making deals until after the proceedings.

Another Fil-American guard, Chris Newsome, was tabbed fourth overall by Meralco, which could use another sentinel after trading away Mike Cortez after last season.

Former NCAA MVP Thompson of Perpetual Help, seen by many as one of the best scorers in the pool, was greeted by wild applause by the SRO crowd after being selected fifth overall selection by crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra.

Garvo Lanete, a member of the Gilas cadet squad who is regarded as one of the finest outside shooters in the Draft, was No. 6 after being selected by NLEX.

Using its second first round pick, Meralco went with another guard in former San Beda ace Baser Amer at No 7, with Norbert Torres, the man many thought Rain or Shine would pick third, going down at No. 8 with Star.

Art dela Cruz, another former San Beda Red Lion, was ninth overall with Blackwater, with NLEX nabbing Glen Khobuntin and Kevin Racal going to Alaska and the Painters picking Josan Nimes 12th overall to end the first round.