MANILA, Philippines -- Ahead of its first ever draft, the Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) set up a unique system that will allow teams to protect a select number of players before adding more to their rosters.

WNBL teams will not pick in every round of the inaugural draft scheduled for Saturday, February 13. Instead, teams can "protect" at most seven players in their line-ups.

Guest team Go for Gold-Philippine Navy Lady Sailors were not part of the virtual draft lottery that took place on Sunday, since all of their players must be enlisted armed forces members.

Glutagence Glow Boosters opted to protect only three players, and were thus given 12 picks. They are the only team allowed to draft in the first two rounds.

Stan Quezon Lady Spartan protected five players, giving them 10 picks. Pacific Water Queens had six protected players, giving them nine picks, while WNBL original Paranaque Lady Aces had seven players signed that resulted in getting just eight picks.

Two more teams are expected to give the league's office their proper papers this week. The first team to accomplish the task will be awarded the remaining picks in each round, still subject to the number of protected players they submit.

In the third round of the draft, Glutagence once again picks first followed by Stan Quezon. The fourth round will see Stan Quezon, Pacific Water, and Glutagence pick, in that order.

The fifth round has Stan Quezon pick first anew then Pacific Water, Paranaque, and Glutagence. Paranaque picks first in the sixth round followed by Glutagence, Pacific Water, and Stan Quezon. Again in the seventh round, the Aces get first dibs while following suit are Lady Spartans, the Queens, and the Boosters.

Pacific Water gets its first top pick of a round in the eighth followed by Stan Quezon, Glutagence, and Paranaque. The Boosters will open things off at round nine with the Queens, Aces, and Lady Spartans picking next, in that order.

Rounds 10 and 12 saw identical patterns with Paranaque, Pacific Water, Stan Quezon, and Glutagence drafting in that order while round 11 has the Aces still picking first followed by the Boosters, the Queens, and the Lady Spartans.

A total of 115 players will compose the league's first draft class -- all of whom took part in the Draft Combine last December 12-13, 2020.

"On behalf of chairman Celso Mercado and NBL commissioner Edward Aquino, we would like to extend our congratulations to all our WNBL teams and advance congratulations to the 115 dreamers as we are just one week away from making their dreams happen," expressed WNBL executive vice president Rhose Montreal.

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