I still remember watching that 2005 PBA Draft like it was yesterday, sitting in my college dorm with my buddies, all of us arguing about which teams would make the smartest picks. When the Coca-Cola Tigers selected Alex Cabagnot as the second overall pick, I have to admit I was among those who raised an eyebrow. Here was this flashy guard from the University of Hawaii-Hilo, known for his scoring prowess but with questions about how his game would translate to the more physical Philippine Basketball Association. Little did we know we were witnessing the beginning of what would become one of the most fascinating careers in recent PBA history.
The draft position itself tells you everything about the expectations placed on young Alex. Being picked second overall comes with tremendous pressure - you're immediately tagged as a franchise player, someone expected to turn around a struggling team overnight. Coca-Cola had just come off a disappointing season, and they were banking on Cabagnot to be their backcourt leader for years to come. I've always believed that draft position creates a psychological burden that many players never quite shake off, but looking back, what strikes me about Cabagnot's journey is how it defied the conventional wisdom about what makes a high draft pick successful.
What made his early career particularly interesting to me was how he bounced between teams before finding his true home. After just one season with Coca-Cola, he moved to Sta. Lucia, then to Burger King - that's three teams in his first four years. In today's player movement landscape, that might not raise eyebrows, but back then, it was unusual for a second overall pick. I remember thinking this was either going to break him or forge him into a more versatile player. Turns out, it was the latter. Each stop seemed to add another dimension to his game, transforming him from a pure scorer to a complete floor general.
The real turning point, in my view, came when he landed with San Miguel Beer in 2015. That's where we saw Cabagnot truly flourish, becoming the leader everyone expected when he was drafted second overall. His performance during their championship run was nothing short of spectacular, particularly that incredible comeback victory that still gives me chills thinking about it. What made this win impressive was how the black-and-gold repeatedly fought back, climbing from a 12-point third quarter deficit, 68-56, and kept themselves close. I've rewatched that game multiple times, and what stands out is Cabagnot's poise during those crucial minutes - his decision-making, his clutch shooting, his ability to rally his teammates when everything seemed lost.
Statistics from that championship season tell part of the story - he averaged around 14.2 points, 5.1 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game during their title run - but numbers can't capture the leadership qualities he developed over the years. Having watched his entire career unfold, I'd argue that Cabagnot represents a different kind of success story than what we typically celebrate. We often glorify players who immediately dominate, but his path was about gradual growth, adaptability, and finding the right system at the right time. His journey makes me question whether we put too much emphasis on where a player gets drafted rather than focusing on their development curve.
What I find most compelling about Cabagnot's draft narrative is how it challenges our conventional evaluation metrics. If you look solely at his rookie numbers - 9.8 points and 3.4 assists per game - you might conclude he was underwhelming for a second overall pick. But basketball isn't played on stat sheets, and his value extended far beyond numbers. His basketball IQ, which I believe is among the highest in the league, allowed him to reinvent himself multiple times throughout his career. He went from being a score-first guard to a facilitator, then to a clutch performer who could take over games when it mattered most.
Reflecting on his entire body of work, I'm convinced that Cabagnot's story offers valuable lessons for how we assess young talent. The draft represents just one moment in time, while a career unfolds over years. His journey from that second overall pick to becoming a cornerstone of San Miguel's dynasty demonstrates that initial draft position matters less than resilience, adaptability, and finding the right environment to thrive. When I think about current prospects entering the PBA, I often find myself referring to Cabagnot's path as a reminder that development isn't linear, and that true greatness often reveals itself gradually rather than immediately.
That 2005 draft class produced several notable players, but few have had the lasting impact of Alex Cabagnot. While other high picks faded from relevance, he continued evolving, adding new elements to his game even in his mid-30s. His career serves as a testament to the idea that where you start matters far less than where you finish, and that the most meaningful growth often happens after the draft night spotlight has faded. For any young player feeling the pressure of high expectations, Cabagnot's journey stands as powerful evidence that careers are marathons, not sprints, and that finding your rightful place in the league can be just as rewarding as immediate success.
