| 1997 PBA draft | |
| Date: | January 19, 1997 |
| Location: | Glorietta Activity Center, Makati |
| Network: | VTV on IBC |
| League: | Philippine Basketball Association |
| First: | Andy Seigle (Mobiline Cellulars) |
| Prev: | 1996 |
| Next: | 1998 |
The 1997 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rookie draft was an event at which teams drafted players from the amateur ranks. The annual rookie draft was held on January 19, 1997, at the Glorietta Mall in Makati.[1]
| Pick | Player | Country of origin* | PBA team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andrew John Seigle | Mobiline Cellulars | ||
| 2 | Nicholas Belasco | Pop Cola Bottlers | Notre Dame-Maryland | |
| 3 | Jason Webb |  Philippines | Sta. Lucia Realtors | De La Salle |
| 4 | Ernesto Ballesteros | Philippines | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | UST |
| 5 | Lowell Briones | Philippines | Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys | Visayas |
| 6 | Gabby Cui | Philippines | Sta. Lucia Realtors | Ateneo de Manila |
| 7 | Edward Naron | Philippines | Gordon's Gin Boars | Visayas |
| 8 | Angelo David | Philippines | Sta. Lucia Realtors | FEU |
| Pick | Player | Country of origin* | PBA team | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Tonyboy Espinosa | Philippines | Mobiline Cellulars | |
| 10 | Romulo Marata | Philippines | Pop Cola Bottlers | Adamson |
| 11 | Ronilo Padilla | Philippines | San Miguel Beermen | Cebu |
| 12 | Freche Ang | Philippines | Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys | Saint La Salle |
| 13 | Jay Mendoza | Philippines | Formula Shell Zoom Masters | Mapua |
| 14 | Manuel Ortega, Jr. | Philippines | Gordon's Gin Boars | SLU |
The top two draft picks; Andrew John Seigle and Nic Belasco were born outside the Philippines. It was the first time in league history that a pure-born Filipino player was not chosen as the overall top pick.[2] [3]