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There may be corresponding pressure to deliver being among the top five picks of the recent Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) annual Rookie Draft.

But the marquee members of “Class 2006,” led by top pick Kelly Williams, declared they’re ready to play alongside the big boys.

“I’m ready to play. I’m really excited being in the PBA. I’m just happy to be part of this, whether I’m the no. 1 pick or not,” said Williams, tabbed by Sta. Lucia Realty as the no. 1 overall rookie player in a PBA draft pool considered as one of the most talented in recent years.

The 24-year old Williams was at the weekly Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum yesterday at the main function room of the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila where he was joined by Air21’s Arwind Santos, Joseph Yeo of Coca-Cola, Lewis Alfred Tenorio and Gabby Espinas, both of San Miguel.

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After the big hoopla, now comes the oozing moolahs. In the case of Kelly Williams, this year’s top draft pick in the PBA, it’s worth a whopping P17.9 million.

Not bad for someone who plays at work.

Williams, the 6-foot-4 all-around player from Oakland University in Detroit and was Sta. Lucia Realty‘s top pick in the PBA Rookie Draft held at the Market! Market! in Taguig last Sunday, will be presented to the media tomorrow (Wednesday) armed with a brand-new SLR jersey, a big smile and a heavy piggy bank.

The piggy bank, by the way, comes in the form of a megabuck five-year contract which will give Williams the allowed maximum paycheck in the PBA, not to mention the juicy bonus schemes and incentives.

As a Realtor, Williams stands to receive P150,000 a month this year, P225,000 next year, P337,500 in 2008 and P350,000 in 2009-2010. It’s a historic deal actually, since the 24-year-old Williams was the first rookie to sign a five-year deal in PBA history.

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There’s something incredibly wrong with the way Ateneo has been lording it over in the 69th UAAP men’s basketball tournament.

Seven wins in as many games. Boy, the Blue Eagles are really one invincible bunch of teen hoopsters this season.

So what’s wrong here? Everything.

First, Ateneo barreling its way on top of the men’s leaderboard like a power bulldozer is kinda weird. They’re not like that before. Heck, not even last season. And perhaps not even coach Norman Black thought his boys would end up in their lofty spot right now with an immaculate card.

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