Scottie Thompson was the talk of the town after his historic night helped lead Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to a Game 4 win over the San Miguel Beermen in their PBA Philippine Cup semis series. But Jayson David deserves as much credit, as he came off the bench to spark Team NSD with an equally impressive effort that drew high praise from none other than Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
Prior to that, however, Cone himself admitted that he had to give David a pep talk of sorts, offering some sage advice: let the game come to you.
“I had a short conversation with Jason before the game. I just told him that he’s got to let the game come to him a little bit,” Cone told reporters in the aftermath of Ginebra’s crucial win on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena. “Sometimes, he gets so excitable and plays a little bit beyond himself, but when he allows the game to come to him, he’s so dynamic.”
It turns out David took that advice to heart and, indeed, let Game 4 come to him. The numbers speak for themselves: 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting, with 3 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. Those are Thompson numbers, and that’s what an in-control Jayson David can bring to the table.
Cone Gives Jayson David Ultimate Compliment
After the game, Cone gave David more than the usual pat on the back for a job well done. Instead, the PBA’s winningest coach gushed about his emerging star and even compared him to an NBA player whom he says he knows very well: Jimmy Butler.
“I always tell him that he reminds me of Jimmy Butler and the kind of game he plays,” Cone said. “He’s wide-bodied, can play bigger than he is, and very versatile. I know Jimmy Butler well because I followed the Miami Heat so closely. He’s always reminded me of Jimmy way back when, but now he’s getting an opportunity to show that at this point.”
“He’s not as good as Jimmy Butler, but relative to our league, he plays a very similar type game,” he added.
Being compared to a many-time NBA All-Star is certainly high praise. But Jayson David surely earned it. Now, he just needs to play like it more and more.
