George King has given San Miguel another offensive focal point at a time when the Beermen needed one most.
For the better part of a decade, San Miguel's status as one of the PBA's perennial contenders has been built around June Mar Fajardo.
Whether through his unstoppable post presence or the defensive attention he commands that opens opportunities for everyone else, the Beermen's offensive identity under head coach Leo Austria has long revolved around the nine-time MVP.
But with Fajardo still working his way back from injury, while managing the mileage from his Gilas Pilipinas duties, San Miguel has been forced to diversify its attack in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup. That responsibility has largely fallen on King.
Already familiar with the league after a stint with Blackwater in rthe previous conference, the 32-year-old has quickly become a seamless fit in Austria's system, giving the Beermen another reliable offensive hub as they navigate life with a limited Fajardo.
Here's how King has helped reshape San Miguel's offense.
King at the 4 unlocks pace and ball movement
To start the conference, San Miguel has deployed four perimeter players around one true big, with Rodney Brondial anchoring the middle in its starting lineup.
That alignment has slotted King at power forward, but his responsibilities resemble those of a modern point forward more than a traditional four.
What's interesting is that King's profile differs significantly from that of former San Miguel standout Arwind Santos, whose value came from stretching the floor and operating as a complementary scorer.
Instead, King gives the Beermen another primary initiator who can grab a defensive rebound, push the break himself, and create advantages before the defense gets set.
Surrounded by capable finishers and shooters, San Miguel has been able to attack a scrambling defense instead of relying solely on half-court execution.
The former Phoenix Suns draft pick's scoring is elite at 36.0 points per game on a 55.2 true shooting percentage (TS%), the second-highest mark in the conference.
But his playmaking has truly unlocked San Miguel's offense, averaging 4.3 assists per contest as the Beermen have produced the league's second-best offensive rating at 120.4 points per 100 possessions through three games.
King's ability to grab a defensive rebound and immediately initiate the break has given San Miguel another dimension beyond its traditional post-centric attack.
The Beermen are averaging 20.7 fast-break points per game, while their ball movement has also taken a step forward, ranking fifth in the league with 23.7 assists per contest.
Instead of funneling every possession through a post touch, San Miguel has generated easier offense by pushing the pace, creating early advantages in transition, and swinging the ball until the defense is forced to rotate.
King's decision-making as a point forward has been central to that shift, allowing the Beermen to play with more flow while still capitalizing on their half-court strengths.
It's exactly the style of basketball interim head coach Peter Martin has wanted the team to play since the start of the conference.
"We wanted to move the ball and the easiest way to move the ball is to run the fast-break," Martin said after San Miguel's 123-109 win over Macau.
King helps maximize San Miguel's spacing
The added pace has naturally complemented another area where San Miguel has quietly been effective: Floor spacing.
Unlike previous iterations of the Beermen that relied heavily on Fajardo drawing double teams from the post, this current group is capable of stretching the floor from multiple spots.
With King serving as the point forward, San Miguel has regularly surrounded him with CJ Perez, Jerrick Ahanmisi, and Marcio Lassiter in the starting unit, a trio who can all score from beyond the arc while attacking closeouts.
That firepower was on full display in the victory over Converge, when the Beermen knocked down 11 three-pointers on 36.7% shooting while also converting three four-point shots.
Through three games, San Miguel owns the league's fifth-best three-point percentage at 33.8%.
King believes that offensive balance is what makes the Beermen difficult to guard.
"It's fortunate. You know, we have a lot of luxuries on this team," King said after the victory vs. Converge.
"And every night is going to be someone else's night. Tonight it was CJ [Perez] and Marcio [Lassiter]. The first game, it was Rodney and the second game, it was my night.
"But that's the luxury of being on this team. We have a lot of veterans, a lot of good players, a lot of talent, and that just goes back to, like I said before, just building chemistry."
Surrounded by shooters, King has benefited from that spacing as much as anyone.
With defenders forced to stay attached to San Miguel's shooters, he has consistently found driving lanes and high-percentage looks inside the arc, converting an outstanding 68.4% of his two-point attempts.
At the same time, he has continued to provide long-range shooting of his own.
After emerging as one of the PBA's premier four-point threats in the previous conference, King has already knocked down five four-pointers on an efficient 35.7% clip through three games.
As the Governors' Cup progresses, perhaps the most intriguing wrinkle for San Miguel is how King and Fajardo can operate together in ball-screen actions once the 6-foot-10 big man returns to full strength.
There were already flashes of that partnership against Converge, with King's playmaking helping Fajardo finish with 10 points and nine rebounds as the Beermen repeatedly punished the aggressive defensive schemes.
"June Mar has a lot of gravity," King said.
"He has a lot of respect. I mean, he's a decorated player here in this league.
"They have to make sure that, hey, this guy is a dominant force down here. We have to make sure that we protect our basket. But that also loosens up the defense on the perimeter. It opens up opportunities like you saw tonight."
Three games is a small sample size, but King has shown why San Miguel targeted him as its import.
Beyond the scoring, his ability to push the pace, facilitate offense, and maximize the spacing around the Beermen, has given the team a different offensive dimension.
