GILAS Pilipinas coach Tim Cone said Justin Brownlee is weighing offers to play overseas at the end of the first window of the Fiba Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers.
Cone admitted Brownlee could be playing abroad in the meantime since the PBA is set to stage its Philippine Cup and the import-laden conference is still months away.
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But Cone said Brownlee will definitely be Barangay Ginebra’s import when the reinforced conferences come.
“There’s offers to play overseas since it’s all-Filipino and we are perfectly fine with that,” said Cone.
Cone said Brownlee playing abroad temporarily won't disrupt the Gilas Pilipinas program since the naturalized player will be available for the Fiba windows including the next one, the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Riga, Latvia in July.
Cone said Brownlee would also be in game shape for the Fiba window when he pursues a stint abroad.
Brownlee is no stranger to playing for a club team outside Barangay Ginebra after he suited up for San Miguel Alab Pilipinas in the Asean Basketball League in 2018 and Al-Riyadi in Lebanon in 2019.
“If he goes and plays somewhere, he goes and plays in Europe, Japan, Korea, or the Middle East where he played before, he is going to be available for the window because he is a naturalized player,” said Cone.
“If he goes and plays and he has a contract in June, July, August, he’ll still be, just like Kai [Sotto], be able to come back and join us for the window,” said Cone.
“We are all for him going out, staying in shape. He will definitely be back for us with Ginebra in the next conference. He is already locked in for that. But for the meantime, he is looking at offers and he will probably end up playing somewhere for a while,” said Cone.
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