Manny Pacquiao to select his 6-5 cousin Rene in PBA Rookie Draft

Boxing champion Manny Pacquiao has already submitted his application for the 2014 PBA Draft which will be held on August 24 at Robinson’s Place Manila. And from the looks of things, he won't be the only Pacquiao that will be drafted.

Although he is the head coach of Team KIA, an expansion team for the PBA’s 40th season, Pacquiao is still not sure if some other team will select him before his team gets the chance to.

However, Pacquiao bared that he already decided to pick a player for his team.

“Yung pinsan ko, si Rene kukunin namin yun,” Pacquiao said during a brief interview held after the Rexona Training Camp where he acted as the brand ambassador.

“Six-five or six-six yung height niya pero hindi naman sentro yung laro niya,” Pacquiao said. “May tira siya sa tres, parang stretch four.”

The younger Pacquiao starred for the Southwestern University Cobras in the Cebu Schools Athletic Foundation, Inc.  (CESAFI) a few years ago, where he battled the likes of University of Cebu's June Mar Fajardo.

Pacquiao announced back in June 9 that he will be the head coach of Team KIA. At that point he was not sure if he would chase his dream of being a playing coach, as the PBA demanded that all rookies would need to go through the draft, playing coaches included.

However, last July 19, Pacquiao officially submitted his application papers before the PBA Expansion Draft.  The problem is that his position as Team KIA’s head coach complicated the matters.

Team KIA will either have the 11th or 12th selection of the draft, which means other PBA teams could select him early in the first round and possibly trade him for future Team KIA picks.

Pacquiao could have more options in the upcoming draft for the team he is forming as the deadline for applicants ends on August 13 at 5 pm.