BASKETBALL/PLG, T1 to hold joint combine next Wednesday ahead of league merger

Taipei, June 29 (CNA) Taiwan's P.LEAGUE+ (PLG) and T1 LEAGUE (T1) said Saturday that they would hold a joint combine in New Taipei next Wednesday, ahead of a looming merger.

According to the joint statement, the professional basketball leagues' joint combine is set to take place at the National Taiwan University of Art, where 48 players - 40 Taiwanese and eight foreign students from local universities - will showcase their talents to the two leagues' 11 franchises.

The 48 players include 26 guards, 16 forwards, and six centers. National Chengchi University, with five players, has the largest presence of any school.

The PLG and T1, which have reached a consensus to merge and form a new circuit, said they are still in talks over the date of the summer draft, initially scheduled for July 10 and 11, respectively.

That announcement came a day after the two leagues said they would provide tandem updates on the latest developments regarding the new league.

The two leagues are expected to hold a joint draft, although the order of picks is still being discussed.

The merger will effectively spare franchises from the fear of wasting picks on players who fail to sign after declaring for both the PLG and T1 drafts.

Such cases have occurred a few times in previous seasons, with T1's Kaohsiung Aquas being the most well-known "victim."

After acquiring a first-round pick from the New Taipei CTBC DEA for NT$1.5 million, the team selected Pai Yao-cheng (白曜誠), who chose to join the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in the PLG.