GEORGE King and Jordan Murphy are on opposite sides in the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup quarterfinals but the two imports used to be teammates.
King and Murphy played high school ball together at Brennan High School in San Antonio, Texas before their paths crossed once again in the PBA during the Governors’ Cup where the stakes are a lot higher.
King will look to bring San Miguel to the semifinals in his third stint in the PBA, and the first with the Beermen, while Murphy hopes to do the same for Barangay Ginebra while resident import Justin Brownlee recovers from injuries.
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“I played high school with him,” Murphy said. “We went to high school together for a year. I’ve known him since I was like 15, 16 years old. We have some history. We stay in contact. We train together sometimes.”
Murphy arrived last October at Ginebra at the resumption of the season-ending conference, replacing Riley Grigsby. He ended up reuniting with King, who has been with San Miguel since the start of the competition last August.
“I’ve known Jordan since he was in eighth grade,” said King, who at 32 is three years older than Murphy. "I was a sophomore in high school. We came to Brennan around 2000. I’ve known Jordan for a while, AAU, and I know his dad.”
Though their careers took different paths after high school, King said he was able to follow the career of Murphy, who played college ball at University of Minnesota where he provided the same kind of tenacity in rebounds that he is bringing to Ginebra.
“He was in Minnesota. I was supportive of him. He led the country in rebounding in Minnesota. Dominant force in rebounding,” he added.
Their stint in the PBA wasn’t the first time they got together since high school. When he was playing in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns, King met Murphy by accident in a barber shop during a pre-draft camp.
Here in Manila, King said he and Murphy live in the same hotel.
“We are on the same floor. His room is only about 10 feet from my room. We’ve already gone out and gotten dinner together,” said King.
King and Murphy will battle one last time this conference on Tuesday when San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra play in Game 5 at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.
Both imports were pivotal in the two victories for their respective teams.
Murphy averaged 31.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the first two games which Ginebra won before King bounced back in the next two matches with averages of 28 points and 13.5 rebounds, setting up the sudden death duel.
But with a semifinal appearance on the line, friendship has to take a back seat.
“But right now, Jordan Murphy, we are not friends right now. After the series, I love you.' But right now, I can’t love you right now, Jordan,” said King.
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