“Reminds me of Jimmy Butler”: Jayson David earns high praise from Tim Cone

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in emphatic fashion to knot its best-of-seven semifinal series against long-time rival San Miguel Beermen, taking Game 4 with a 105–91 victory on Sunday, January 11, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Star point guard Scottie Thompson delivered a performance for the ages, exploding for a career-high 35 points alongside 11 rebounds and 11 assists, powering Ginebra to a comfortable win.

While Thompson stole the spotlight, head coach Tim Cone also highlighted the contributions of wingman Jayson David, who provided a crucial spark off the bench. David finished with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting, three rebounds, three steals, and seven assists in roughly 27 minutes, posting a game-high plus-minus of +22.

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Cone shared that David’s style of play has long reminded him of NBA and Golden State Warriors superstar Jimmy Butler.

JAYSON DAVID: “I JUST WANT TO WIN” AS GINEBRA EVENS SERIES #Fastbreak #Ginebra pic.twitter.com/qxfqcfpsVs

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“I had a short conversation with Jayson before the game. I just told him that he has got to let the game come to him a little bit. Sometimes he gets so excited and plays a little bit beyond himself. But when he allows the game to come to him, he is so dynamic,” Cone said in the post-match press conference.

“I always tell him that he reminds me of Jimmy Butler. And the kind of game he plays. He is wide-bodied. Can play bigger than he is. And very versatile, so he has always reminded me of Jimmy way back when. But now he’s getting an opportunity to show that at this point,” he added.

David has steadily earned a vital role for Ginebra this conference, averaging 8.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steal per game across four semifinal outings.

“He is not as good as Jimmy Butler. But relative to our league, he plays a very similar game. Similar type game,” Cone concluded.

For his part, David downplayed the praise, saying he is simply focused on helping the team win.

“Wala naman nang pressure yung ganoon. Kumbaga, pinuri niya ako, e di thank you. Gusto ko lang talaga makatulong sa team namin. Yun lang, gusto ko lang ibigay ko yung best ko. Kumbaga andito na ako, sayang punta,” David said.

With the series now tied at 2-2, the pivotal Game 5 is set for Wednesday, January 14, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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