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    Why 'humble' Brownlee, in Black's mind, can be a great coach someday

    Mutual admiration: Brownlee wants to have Black's career path someday; Black says Ginebra import right up there with Bobby Parks and Sean Chambers
    Apr 15, 2022
    Justin Brownlee Norman Black
    PHOTO: Jerome AscaƱo

    WITH Justin Brownlee winning his second Best Import award, the Barangay Ginebra import joined an elite list of reinforcements who have won the honor more than once. That includes Norman Black, the current head coach of Meralco which Brownlee and Ginebra is facing again for the PBA Governors’ Cup crown.

    But there is no animosity but only mutual respect between two personalities who have stamped their mark in the hearts and minds of Filipino basketball fans.

    Black's career path

    Brownlee said he would also like to follow the road taken by Black, a longtime import in the PBA who eventually became a successful coach.

    “Norman Black is a guy that I look up too especially playing as an import in this league,” said Brownlee before the finals. “Hopefully, maybe one day, hopefully, if there’s an opportunity I get it, to be a coach in this league. A guy like Norman Black, he is what you think of when you think about a great import here in the Philippines.”

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      As a player, Black scored 11,329 points in a PBA career that included a stint at San Miguel - a team he eventually coached to the 1989 grand slam. He has also won 11 championships in his career as a coach.

      “He has won championships as a player and as a coach. He’s got the Best Import awards and all of that. He is somebody that I look up to and that I’m inspired by,” said Brownlee.

      The admiration is mutual.

      Black has yet to add another PBA crown to his resume - and a first one for Meralco - in the three times they've clashed with a Brownlee-led Ginebra team in the Governors’ Cup championship series.

      As the resident import of Ginebra since setting foot in the country in 2016, Brownlee is currently at number six in the import scoring list with 4,475 after Game Four of the finals, only 57 points away from tying Billy Ray Bates.

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      “I really love the way Justin plays,” said Black, before the fourth finals encounter between Meralco and Ginebra. “He is definitely, in my mind, one of the best imports to play here in the Philippines. He has done a great job of being available and showing up when the games have been on the line, and when the tournament has been on the line, which separates the average imports from the great imports.”

      “He is just a really good player. He has beaten me three times already so I’m a witness. I saw it happen. The goal, this time is to beat him and win the championship. But I have a lot of respect for him.”

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        Black believes that Brownlee would make for an excellent coach in the Philippines if he takes that same path as his.

        “Character,” said Black, when asked why. “He is really good but he doesn’t tell you he is really good. We all know that he is really good. He is very humble and I think when you are trying to manage people, people respect that. Yabang can only go so far, you can get tired of it already."

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        The Meralco coach said Brownlee is in the same level as Sean Chambers and Bobby Parks as far as being humble and being very good on the court is concerned. Chambers, of course, like Brownlee, was a longtime import of Tim Cone when he was still the coach of Alaska, while Parks won seven Best Import awards, which was eventually named after him.

        “But it doesn’t always go like that. It’s not always the best imports are humble. That’s not always the case,” said Black.

        Black said being “mayabang” is a huge deal for Philippine basketball followers, which is why Brownlee has endeared himself to most fans, not just Barangay Ginebra supporters.

        “I think it’s big to Filipinos. You are good, but let me tell you you are good. That’s why like a guy like Billy Ray Bates, who I think is the best import who played here in the Philippines, people loved him because he was so confident and he could back it up.

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        “But that all changed when he couldn’t back it up anymore. It changed very quickly, their opinion,” said Black.

        “I really think Filipinos don’t really go for the yabang, sobrang yabang. They will deal it if you are really good. But they will also tell you, ‘Hey, what happened. You are not good anymore,’” said Black.

        “Those who are humble, despite the fact that they are talented, they gain the respect of people. People follow you when you have that type of attitude. He has that,” said Black of Brownlee.

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        PHOTO: Jerome AscaƱo
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