CHICAGO - As he attempts to slip into those huge Cinderella shoes that Justin Brownlee is expected to vacate temporarily, interim import Tony Bishop is going through a myriad of emotions.
After arriving in Manila last Friday night, Bishop quickly went to work and had already broken some sweat at the SMC gym the next morning when I reached him by telephone.
READ: Cone confirms Ginebra bringing in Tony Bishop
"It feels a little weird," he said. "I played against them in the Finals (in the 2021 Governors' Cup) and now I'm going to be on their side. I'm excited to have this opportunity to play for the most popular team in the PBA."
To those wondering why the MVP group no longer has his rights, here's an explainer:
Bishop became a free agent after the Bolts didn't bring back his services in the 2022 Commissioner's Cup last October where Meralco brought in KJ McDaniels instead.
Sports, like politics, sometimes make strange bedfellows.
The 6-foot-7, 220-pound Bishop was playing for Halcones de Xalapa in the Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional in Mexico when he "recently" got the Ginebra call-up.
He then packed his bags, and with his wife and kids in tow, took the flight from Orlando to LAX before landing in the Philippines for another PBA tour of duty. He said he is "looking forward" to his first practice with Ginebra on Monday.
BISHOP'S TENURE DEPENDS ON BROWNLEE'S SITUATION.
Although he inked a 60-day guaranteed contract, he could end up serving shorter or longer as Ginebra's reinforcement. It all depends on what sanctions will come down on Brownlee for his positive test at the recent Asian Games.
Regardless of the length of his tenure, the Gin Kings may have found the best proxy for the highly-decorated Brownlee.
When he led Meralco to the finals in 2021, Bishop averaged 25.7 points, 13.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. A pass-first, do-it-all import, Bishop is perfect for a Ginebra squad that is loaded with tremendous local talent.
While he is capable of putting up points on the board, he can do so without dominating every ball possession. He makes an efficient 45 percent of his field goals and his DNA has two familiar Ginebra traits - a strong work ethic and an appetite to play physical, hard-nosed defense.
The Gin Kings have a proven knack for making championship appearances by regular appointment, not just some random happenstance.
With Bishop on board, the landscape shouldn't change.
Jamie Malonzo and Scottie Thomspon are back in full force after dealing with injuries while longtime team captain L.A. Tenorio is expected to return to his playmaking chores sometime in December.
The Gins have a wretched excess in size, talent and experience. And they have coach Tim Cone, the winningest in the league.
BOLICK UPDATE. Per a source, "it's only a matter of time" before Robert Bolick secures a clearance from the Japan B.League following the cancellation of his contract with the Fukushima Firebonds.
This will pave the way for negotiation talks to rejoin NorthPort to move at a more brisk pace.
The expectation is that Bolick will eventually suit up for the Batang Pier this coming conference but the chances of him making the roster by opening day on November 5 are "very slim."
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