Friday, July 20, 2007

Wu Fong-cheng goes No. 1 in 2007 SBL local draft

台銀韋陳明(左)吳奉晟
BOT selected Wu Fong-cheng at No. 1.

選秀狀元吳奉晟
Wu Fong-cheng.

Bank of Taiwan selected 194cm forward Wu Fong-cheng with the No. 1 pick in the 2007 SBL local players draft Saturday as 22 of 89 players were picked up by seven SBL teams in the symbolic draft -- the first time the four-year league had conducted such draft.

190cm Chang Tsun-hsien, who was expected to be the No. 1 pick prior to the draft, withdrew from the draft and announced he will play for German professional club BG74, a team in the top league, next season.

The draft was held amid the controversy about the agreement between the Chinese Taipei Basketball Association (CTBA) and the Chinese Taipei University Sports Federation (CTUSF). Last year both parties had agreed upon a multi-year initiative to take college players out of the professional league.

The controversy remained unresolved. Under the standing agreement, most draftees will not be able to play in the 2007-08 SBL season.

Wu Fong-cheng, an athletic swingman who came from Gao-yuan high school, is currently a collegge player at the National College of Physical Education and Sports.

Azio selected Chen Jun-jay with the No. 2 pick and 199cm Lee Jun-wei went No. 3 to ETSN. Athletic forward Chen Yu-an went to Dacin at the fourth pick. Defensing Champ Taiwan Beer picked Yao Shen-han at the fifth while Wu Min-hsien, the high school league MVP last year, was picked up by Videoland at No. 6 as its only selection in the draft.

Yulon also selected only one player -- Fang Wen-shi -- at the final pick of the first round.

The draft ended after all teams passed up. ETSN selected seven players in the draft. Azio and Taiwan Beer each selected four players. Dacin had three. Bank of Taiwan grabbed two.

According to the regulation announced by the SBL Committee before the draft, Teams are allowed to sign the first round draftees to a maximum three-year contract with a monthly salary between NT$20,000 - 50,000 (US$607 - 1518). Second rounders can be signed to a maximum one-year contract with a NT$50,000 (US$1518) monthly salary cap.

US$ 607 - 1518 monthly salary? You may think that's a joke. Yes it is, but it's also true.

In addition, a player who failed to reach agreement with team which drafted him will be a free agent if the team grants his release. Undrafted players are seen as free agents and can sign with any team.

Draft results:

Round 1
1. BOT / Wu Fong-cheng, 194cm, 1986/11/29
2. Azio / Chen Jun-jay, 180cm, 1983/6/4
3. ETSN / Lee Jun-wei, 199cm, 1988/10/17
4. Dacin / Chen Yu-an, 194cm, 1989/1/2
5. Taiwan Beer / Yao Shen-han, 197cm, 1988/11/15
6. Videoland / Wu Min-hsien, 182cm, 1988/12/19
7. Yulon / Fang Yong-shi, 190cm, 1989/3/28

Round 2
1. BOT / Hong Jay, 188cm, 1987/12/22
2. Azio / Cheng Chi-hao, 208cm, 1987/12/10
3. ETSN / Yang Cheng-lun, 178cm, 1989/1/18
4. Dacin / Huang Wen-ying, 184cm, 1987/12/15
5. Taiwan Beer / Hsieh Cheng-yang, 192cm, 1989/7/10
6. Videoland / (Pass)
7. Yulon / (Pass)

Round 3
1. BOT / (Pass)
2. Azio / Lin Jin-bang, 190cm, 1985/6/15
3. ETSN / Hsu Ching-feng, 190cm, 1987/1/13
4. Dacin / Chuang Tsun-shun, 190cm, 1988/12/24
5. Taiwan Beer / Ho Wei-cheng, 196cm, 1988/9/24
6. Videoland / (Pass)
7. Yulon / (Pass)

Round 4
1. BOT / (Pass)
2. Azio / Chu Yi-tsun, 186cm, 1986/8/4
3. ETSN / Lin Yi-fu, 186cm, 1988/12/22
4. Dacin / (Pass)
5. Taiwan Beer / Chen Kwan-chun, 182cm, 1988/10/3
6. Videoland / (Pass)
7. Yulon / (Pass)

Round 5
1. BOT / (Pass)
2. Azio / (Pass)
3. ETSN / Chang Ming-che, 190cm, 1984/6/20
4. Dacin / (Pass)
5. Taiwan Beer / (Pass)
6. Videoland / (Pass)
7. Yulon / (Pass)

Round 6
1. BOT / (Pass)
2. Azio / (Pass)
3. ETSN / Lee Wei-lun, 172cm, 1985/9/7
4. Dacin / (Pass)
5. Taiwan Beer / (Pass)
6. Videoland / (Pass)
7. Yulon / (Pass)

Round 7
1. BOT / (Pass)
2. Azio / (Pass)
3. ETSN / Wang Nan-kuei, 180cm, 1983/5/21
4. Dacin / (Pass)
5. Taiwan Beer / (Pass)
6. Videoland / (Pass)
7. Yulon / (Pass)