JUSTIN Brownlee opens his eighth season with Barangay Ginebra on Friday when his ballclub makes its debut in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup.
Brownlee returns to the Gin Kings as their resident import in what is one of the longest stretches that he didn't play with his team.
It is nearly a year since Brownlee last played with Barangay Ginebra when they lost to TNT in Game 6 of the 49th Season Commissioner's Cup on March 28, 2025. In between, though, Brownlee has been visible playing, but not for Ginebra, as he is Gilas Pilipinas’ naturalized player for FIBA tournaments.
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Following back-to-back Philippine Cup conferences bridging the 49th and 50th season, Brownlee makes his return when Barangay Ginebra faces guest team Macau Black Knights on Friday, 7:30 p.m. at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
“I'm just excited for the challenges. I'm ready to go back to Ginebra,” said Brownlee recently. “It’s been awhile now, probably the longest (I've not played with them) since I've been here aside from the pandemic.”
A different Commissioner's Cup landscape awaits the 37-year-old Brownlee with the influx of much taller imports being led by TNT's 7-foot-3 former NBA player Bol Bol.
"Just like every conference, I feel like the imports have gotten better and better over the years. This conference right here, it's definitely no slack to that," Brownlee said.
Despite Ginebra's lack of size, Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone opted to stick with the 6-foot-6 Brownlee, raising the fact that the only time that they lost in the Commissioner's Cup finals with Brownlee around was against an import of nearly his same height in TNT's Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Cone also said Brownlee creates mismatches against taller imports when he is on the floor, opening up other opportunities to the rest of the team.
“I hope I can keep causing mismatches,” Brownlee said.
“There's a lot of tough imports out there. There are imports that are just inside, guys who can probably shoot threes, some imports can do both, inside and outside. Hopefully, mismatches will present themselves. I'll try my best to take advantage of it.”
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