Justin Brownlee is all ready to make his much-awaited PBA comeback in the upcoming Season 49 Governors’ Cup after a lengthy absence.
The Barangay Ginebra import is expected to make his return to the league on August 24 when the Kings take on Rain or Shine in Candon, Ilocos Sur.
It would be the six-time champion’s first PBA stint since the 2022-23 Governors’ Cup as he saw his supposed tour of duty in the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup derailed.
For starters, Brownlee served a three-month suspension due to a doping violation during the 19th Asian Games in China.
In the tournament, he steered Gilas to the gold and gave the Philippines its first Asiad men’s basketball title in 60-plus years.
But the 36-year-old is coming back in form, thanks to his stints firstly with the national team in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers’ opening window last January and then with Pelita Jaya Jakarta in Indonesia afterwards.
He helped Pelita Jaya rule the 2024 Indonesia Basketball League (IBL) after beating Satria Muda Pertamina in the best-of-3 Finals last August 4.
Brownlee finished the IBL season with per-game averages of 13.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in 29 minutes of playing time.
Now, he’s out to win his seventh PBA championship with the Kings, which, if he does, would make him the winningest import in history.
Brownlee is currently level for most league titles by an import with the great Sean Chambers.
His return would be a redemption tour of sorts as well after losing in the Finals for the first time in their last outing, when the Kings bowed to TNT in six games.
The Tropang Giga were reinforced by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson then and the former NBA veteran is among the returning imports in the upcoming conference, meaning that they may face each other again deep into the tilt.
Brownlee and RHJ are just two of the returning reinforcements awaited in this Governors’ Cup, the others being Allen Durham and Aaron Fuller.
The three-time Best Import is suiting up for Meralco once more after spending the last four years with the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the B.League.
Fuller, on the other hand, is making another PBA stint this time with Rain or Shine, reuniting with Coach Yeng Guiao after working together in NLEX, carrying with him as well experiences gained from Blackwater and TNT.
The quartet banners the crop of imports in the tilt that opens August 18, which also features other NBA vets in Glenn Robinson III and Ricky Ledo.
A former slam dunk champion, Robinson III will make his debut on opening night as Magnolia takes on Durham and Meralco at 7:30 PM.
