If there's one successful template that a developing PBA team can emulate, it's the path that Converge FiberXers took to become a solid team.
During Season 48, the team had the worst record -- which did reap Justine Baltazar as the first overall pick in the 2024 draft. But those struggles were not put to waste, as Converge was able to give their young core enough reps.
That season, Alec Stockton blossomed into a budding star with averages of 15.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists on 49.6/41.3/80.2 shooting splits. Justin Arana and Schonny Winston also got to showcase their wares, which translated well in the ensuing 49th season.
Converge then became a fixture in the quarterfinals in all three conferences. They had their best showing during the Commissioner's Cup, being the third seed and had the luxury of a complete roster with Baltazar and Jordan Heading.
However, they were not able to get through the semifinals. To make matters worse, Heading's stint with the team was short-lived after a trade in the Philippine Cup for the estranged Mikey Williams, who is yet to sign with Converge.
But with hopes of trying to make a turnaround for the next season, they made the decision to move up to the second pick of the 2025 PBA Draft in exchange for their eighth pick and stretch big Bryan Santos.
And that intention was clear as day: Converge wanted Juan Gómez de Liaño.
So let's examine why the caliber of Gómez de Liaño could just be the key piece in pushing Converge past the ceiling that has long kept them from breaking into true contender status.
Gómez de Liaño can be the main ballhandler
Since losing Heading, the default point guard rotation of Converge has been between JL Delos Santos and MJ Garcia. The coaching staff is also not comfortable sliding Stockton at the point guard position alongside Winston in their backcourt.
And while Gómez de Liaño isn't the prototypical playmaker, he's the best option to slot in that role to be responsible for the ball-handling duties.
Gómez de Liaño's journey overseas will give him a unique edge compared to most young guards entering the league.
In Lithuania with BC Wolves, he was exposed to a disciplined European system that emphasized ball movement and spacing. Later, his stint in the Korean Basketball League with Seoul SK Knights sharpened his ability to contribute in short bursts, competing against quick, athletic guards while learning how to maximize efficiency despite limited minutes.
Both experiences developed his maturity on the floor and broadened his understanding of different styles of play even though only averaged 8.2 minutes per game in those three years.
While playmaking isn't his strongest suit, Gómez de Liaño's scoring gravity makes life easier for him and his teammates. The ability to attack downhill forces defenses to collapse, which naturally opens up kick-out opportunities for shooters and drop-off passes to bigs.
Surrounded by reliable scorers on the perimeter and in the paint, the 25-year old's role as the primary ballhandler doesn't require him to overthink passing reads -- his scoring threat alone can generate quality looks for the rest of the team.
This dynamic is what makes him valuable in the PBA setting.
He doesn't need to be a pure pass-first guard to elevate Converge because, as long as defenses treat him as a scoring threat, the team benefits from the spacing and movement he creates.
If Gómez de Liaño can strike the right balance between putting pressure on defenses and trusting his teammates to finish plays, Converge might finally solve its long-standing backcourt dilemma and reshape how their offense flows moving forward.
Gómez de Liaño's off ball value
The reality is that, on certain occasions, both Stockton and Winston will become the initiators of Converge's offense.
In those instances, Gómez de Liaño's movement should be on-point, which he has shown in his previous international stints.
Gómez de Liaño has shown that he can be more than just a ball-dominant guard -- his ability to relocate, cut, and spot up makes him a natural fit alongside other playmakers.
In Lithuania and especially in South Korea, he often thrived without the ball, spacing the floor and positioning himself in the right pockets for catch-and-shoot opportunities.
According to Synergy in his second season with the SK Knights, Gómez de Liaño had a very good rating in this play-type at 1.15 points per possession (PPP) and 38.5% from beyond the arc. This adaptability allows him to complement Converge's backcourt rather than overlap with it.
Beyond simply spacing the floor, there's budding potential in his cuts, which can keep defenses engaged even when he isn't handling the ball. As per Synergy, in seven possessions that De Liano spent as the cutter, he scored at 1.43 PPP on cuts.
With defenses keyed in on Stockton's drives or Winston's isolation in the midrange, Gómez de Liaño's off-ball activity becomes a secondary weapon that punishes lapses in coverage. This ability to slip behind defenders or pop out for open looks can generate easy baskets that swing momentum in tight games.
Perhaps the most valuable part of his off-ball skillset is his capability to spot up from deep.
While he isn't a high-volume three-point shooter, his mechanics and confidence from range force defenses to respect him.
According to Synergy, Gómez de Liaño possessed an 1.11 PPP on spot-ups, which is considered to be excellent at low volume. That gravity creates more driving lanes for his teammates and ensures that Converge maintains balanced spacing on the floor.
For a team still molding its offensive identity, having De Liano as both a credible on-ball scorer and a reliable off-ball threat adds a layer of versatility Converge hasn't had in their backcourt.