Commissioner green-lights Kia proposal that sends No. 1 pick to San Miguel Beer

The trade that has everyone up in arms is going to push through, and credit—or criticism—should go to the Kia Picanto, whose officials justified their decision to deal away a precious No. 1 pick for San Miguel Beer’s bench mob.

The Beermen are expected to make 6-foot-7 Christian Standhardinger the No. 1 pick in Sunday’s PBA rookie draft.

Commissioner Chito Narvasa approved the trade on the same day that Kia officials held a press conference to explain the “unconventional basketball philosophy” behind their decision to make the deal.

“We want to be competitive, but we have a different approach,” said Kia governor Bobby Rosales, whose team will get San Miguel reserves Jay-R Reyes, Ronald Tubid and Rashawn McCarthy, plus the Beermen’s 2019 first-round pick.

“I think [Standhardinger] will be a great asset to any team, it just so happens that the philosophy of our basketball team is we like to play unconventional basketball,” said team manager Joe Lipa.

“Give us a chance to prove this philosophy,” Rosales added.

It was that philosophy that paved the way for Narvasa’s approval.

“They said it’s in their philosophy that they want players who are hungry,” said Narvasa.