I still remember sitting in front of my laptop during that 2017 PBA Draft, eagerly waiting to see which teams would pick my favorite amateur players. The energy was electric, both online and in the arena. Looking back now, it's fascinating to track where these players ended up - some became superstars, others faded into obscurity, and a few took unexpected career turns. Let me walk you through how you can trace these players' journeys yourself, because honestly, it's become one of my favorite basketball research projects.

First, you'll want to start with the official draft list from the PBA website or reliable sports archives. The 2017 draft had 49 picks across two rounds, though many fans only remember the big names. Christian Standhardinger going first overall to San Miguel was no surprise - the guy was a beast in the ASEAN Basketball League. What's interesting is tracking how many of these picks actually stuck with their original teams. From my count, only about 12 of those 49 draftees are still with their original franchises today. That's barely 25%! The method I use involves creating a spreadsheet with columns for draft position, original team, current status, and notable career moves. You'd be surprised how many players have hopped between three or four teams already.

When researching, don't just look at basic stats - dig into social media, team press releases, and even local news from players' hometowns. I found that at least 8 players from that draft class have already retired from professional basketball entirely. One player I was particularly high on, Robbie Herndon (picked 14th by Rain or Shine), actually had a decent career though he's now with Magnolia. The key is to cross-reference multiple sources because team websites aren't always updated promptly. I learned this the hard way when I thought a player was still active only to discover he'd been playing in Indonesia for six months.

The emotional component matters too. There's this quote from my research that stuck with me: "It's because love talaga namin, di lang yung ginagawa namin, pero yung bawat isa talaga. Yun talaga yung nagki-keep sa'min together, na hindi kami bibitaw." This Filipino phrase roughly translates to emphasizing genuine love and unity beyond just professional duties. I've noticed that players who found teams with this kind of culture tended to have more stable careers. Look at Sydney Onwubere - picked 26th by Phoenix, he's been with the team through thick and thin. That kind of stability often comes from finding that perfect team fit where relationships go deeper than basketball.

One thing I'd caution against is relying solely on Wikipedia. The information there can be outdated or incomplete. Instead, I recommend following beat reporters on Twitter who cover specific teams - they often have the most current roster updates. Also, check the PBA's official transactions page, though it can be frustratingly slow to update sometimes. Another method that's worked for me is watching post-game interviews where coaches might casually mention player movements that haven't been formally announced yet.

What's truly fascinating is seeing how draft position didn't always correlate with career success. Some late second-round picks outlasted first-round selections. Take Julian Sargent - picked 38th by GlobalPort (now NorthPort), he's carved out a nice role as a reliable rotation player despite being so low in the draft. Meanwhile, some first-round picks like John Grospe (13th overall) barely made an impact before fading from the league. This Complete List of PBA Draft 2017 Picks tells a story about development, opportunity, and sometimes just plain luck.

My personal approach involves quarterly check-ins where I spend about two hours updating my tracking spreadsheet. I've found that March, August, and December are good times since they align with typical PBA season transitions. During these sessions, I'll verify each player's status through at least two independent sources. It might sound obsessive, but it's become a ritual I genuinely enjoy - like catching up with old friends whose careers I've been following since they entered the league.

The international movement has been particularly interesting to track. At least five players from that draft class have spent time in other Asian leagues, mostly in Japan's B.League or ASEAN leagues. The money's often better overseas, so you can't blame them. But it does make tracking harder since foreign league coverage isn't as comprehensive in English media. I've had to use translation tools to follow some of these players' careers, which adds another layer of challenge but makes the discoveries more rewarding.

Looking at where these players are now, I'm struck by how their journeys reflect that earlier quote about love and unity keeping them together. The players who found their basketball homes - whether with their original teams or through later trades - seem to have more sustainable careers. There's something to be said about finding that perfect organizational fit where you're valued beyond just your stat line. As I wrap up this Complete List of PBA Draft 2017 Picks retrospective, I'm reminded that basketball careers are as much about finding the right environment as they are about raw talent. The players who understood this early on tended to have longer, more fulfilling careers in the league.