IT looks like San Miguel Beer is hoping to strong-arm the opposition in the Commissioner’s Cup.

Kansas City Royals draft pick Ira Brown is being eyed by the Beermen as reinforcement for the coming conference. He was a fourth-round selection by the Austin Toros in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Developmental League in 2009.

But the 235-lb player, said to be a crowd favorite for his thunderous dunks, was also drafted by the Royals in the 2001 Major League Baseball draft.

He never made it to the Major League, but he played five seasons with five different teams in the minors from 2001 to 2005 before shoulder problems forced him to quit baseball and focus on basketball.

“Hopefully at the latest Friday, nandito na siya. Pero hanggang hindi dumadating dito ’yan, walang kasiguruhan ’yan,” San Miguel assistant coach Gee Abanilla told the BusinessMirror on Wednesday.

“But we really want him to be our import in the next conference,” he added.

The 28-year-old Brown is listed six-foot-four, the height limit for imports in the second conference that starts on February 18.

Meanwhile, Alaska is still without an import after Eddie Basden exceeded the limit by a quarter of an inch.

Barangay Ginebra’s Nate Brumfield was measured at six-feet-three-and-a-half inches, while Rain or Shine’s Hassan Adams was six-foot-three and 5/16. Robert Brown of B-MEG Derby Ace was measured at six-foot-two and 5/16.

Air21’s tapped Jajuan Smith and is scheduled to arrive on Friday. Meralco got Tony Dandridge, Talk ’N Text Paul Harrues and Powerade Russell Carter.

(Joel Orellana)

The Aces management are still looking for a replacement for Basden, who incidentally was the earliest to arrive and practice for a team. He even suited up for Alaska in a mini-tournament in Cebu.