Brownlee, Durham, Hollis-Jefferson lead imports in PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup
A TRIUMVIRATE of certified achievers — Justin Brownlee, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Allen Durham — banner the mix of old and new faces reinforcing the 12 teams in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 49 Governors’ Cup that tips off Sunday.
Three-time Best Import Mr. Brownlee returns to the Barangay Ginebra fold after sitting out the Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup while serving suspension for his doping case post-Asian Games.
Mr. Hollis-Jefferson, who beat Mr. Brownlee for both the crown and the Best Import accolade in the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup, reunites with TNT in seeking a title repeat.
Back after a long absence for Meralco is the burly Mr. Durham, whose first three tours resulted in Best Import awards but bridesmaid finishes each time, all at the hands of the Mr. Brownlee-led Gin Kings.
JB, AD and RHJ along with Aaron Fuller, who is reinforcing Rain or Shine after previous stints with NLEX, Blackwater and TNT, and Antonio Hester of Terrafirma make up the returning cast among the imports in the season-opening conference.
Former NBA players Glenn Robinson III (Magnolia), Jordan Lavell Adams (San Miguel Beer), Myke Henry (NLEX), Brian Scotty Hopson (Converge) and Ricky Ledo (Blackwater) as well as fellow debutants Taylor Johns (NorthPort) and Jayveous McKinnis (Phoenix) are out for a Cinderella finish in Asia’s first pro league.
Mr. Durham, who spent the last three years in Japan and won the B. League title in 2023, and Mr. Robinson, the 2017 NBA slam dunk champion, will be the first to hit the court as Meralco and Magnolia clash in the lone game on opening night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum
The Governors’ Cup will feature innovations such as a group competition and a four-point shot, among others, that league officials feel is important in making the games more exciting.
The Bolts and the Hotshots will compete with the FiberXers, the Dyip, the Batang Pier and the Tropang Giga in Group A while the Gin Kings, the Beermen, the Bossing, the Fuel Masters, the Road Warriors and the Elasto Painters will duke it out in Group B.
The teams will face their group-mates twice then Top 4 finishers of each bracket will advance to the crossover best-of-five quarterfinal series. Victors will proceed to the best-of-seven semis then the last two squads standing will go on to dispute the diadem in another race-to-four contest. — Olmin Leyba