By JONAS TERRADO
Meralco’s Aaron Black could make history if he ends up being named the Outstanding Rookie in the PBA Awards Night that will be held virtually on Jan. 17.
Black will become the lowest draft pick ever to win the award given to the season’s best freshman should he gain the nod of voters. Bolts coach Norman Black selected his son as the 18th overall selection of the 2019 Draft.
Larry Fonacier was the lowest draft pick to bag the Rookie of the Year when he was chosen 14th overall by Red Bull Barako in 2005.
The league decided to rename the award to Outstanding Rookie only for the 45th season, given the circumstances that saw the reduction of the 2020 campaign from three conferences to only the Philippine Cup due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 23-year-old Black surprised everyone with his solid showing inside the PBA bubble at Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center, averaging 6.6 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 18 games that saw the Bolts fall one win short of making the Finals.
He finished second in the Statistical Points behind Terrafirma’s Roosevelt Adams with 17.3, but is considered a frontrunner for the award given his contributions to Meralco’s final four finish.
Strong challengers in Black’s bid are Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Arvin Tolentino and Alaska’s Barkley Ebona.
Tolentino, taken 10th overall in the 2019 draft, placed fifth in the SP derby for rookies at 15.5, but had a minor part in Ginebra’s title run with averages of 4.5 points and 2.5 rebounds in 21 appearances.
Ebona put up 7.0 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12 games for Alaska to finish third overall in rookies SPs at 16.3. The former Far Eastern University big man was taken fourth overall by Alaska in the 2019 proceedings.
Adams had the best SP among neophytes with 20.3 after being the only rookie to score in double digits with a 10.3-point average while hauling down 8.1 rebounds during Terrafirma’s dismal 1-10 season.
The other candidate for the award is Magnolia’s Aris Dionisio, who posted 5.8 points and 2.7 rebounds and was fourth among rookies in SPs with 15.9.
