JUSTIN Brownlee is set for a return to Barangay Ginebra almost two years after leading the Kings to the 2021 PBA Governors Cup championship.
According to Ginebra management, the 33-year-old American has been booked to arrive in the country on Wednesday, exactly a week before the season-ending conference kicks off at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Brownlee was the last import to come over as Meralco's Tony Bishop arrived hours earlier on Wednesday morning, as per team manager Paolo Trillo.
Shabazz pullout
The Bolts were faced with an early dilemma after original choice Shabazz Muhammad backed out at the last minute due to personal concerns, although the team has since found an available replacement in Tony Bishop.
Brownlee returns for his eighth tour of duty with the Kings, who he powered to four championships since first coming over in 2016, including three of the last four Governors Cup.
The last of those championships came in the final conference of the 44th season when the Kings repeated over rival Meralco Bolts in the finals, 4-1, to regain the title they lost to Romeo Travis and the Magnolia Hotshots during the semis in 2018.
It proved to be the final title series with PBA fans in the stands as two months later, the COVID-19 pandemic hit the country and the rest of the world.
Brownlee is expected to complete a 10-day mandatory quarantine before joining his longtime teammates in the title defense.
With their imports among the latecomers, Barangay Ginebra and Meralco's game will likely be scheduled for a later date.
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