“Who is the greatest of all time?”
That is the favorite topic among sports fans, regardless of the sport or country.
In Philippine basketball, the debate has always centered around Ramon Fernandez or June Mar Fajardo.
For PBA imports, contenders include Bobby Parks Sr., Norman Black, Sean Chambers, and Justin Brownlee.
But according to young Kai Sotto, the definitive answer is JB.
“The world might not know much about Justin Brownlee, but to me, he’s the Michael Jordan of Philippine basketball,” he told Fiba.basketball.
“That’s what we expect from him, and that’s what he delivers every night.”
During his eight-year tenure in the Philippines, Brownlee has captured six PBA titles and three Best Import awards.
(C) FIBA.basketball
When he assumed the role of Gilas’ designated naturalized player, he demonstrated his prowess on the international stage, ending the Philippines’ 61-year gold medal drought at the Asian Games.
His performance in FIBA competitions has also been noteworthy.
The 6-foot-6 forward currently boasts averages of 21.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in the ongoing FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers.
Then, on Thursday morning (Manila time), he delivered a masterful performance against world No. 6 Latvia, tallying 26 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists.
Best of all, he helped lead Gilas to a remarkable 89-80 victory in their FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament-Riga opener.
In response to Sotto’s praise, Brownlee, ever humble, remarked, “I appreciate Kai’s words, but I’m just out there doing my best to help the team win.”
He also deflected the praise to his mentor, Tim Cone, saying, “He’s incredibly knowledgeable about basketball and breaks down fundamentals so well.
“His impact on Gilas and the entire country has been tremendous.”
