GILAS Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone has flatly denied reports that naturalized player Justin Brownlee has tested positive again for a prohibited substance, calling the claim “absolutely not true.”
Cone issued the denial after a report surfaced claiming that Brownlee could miss the 2026 Asian Games and possibly the next PBA conference because of an alleged positive test.
“Absolutely not true about Justin,” Cone told Fastbreak in a Viber message on Thursday.
The statement puts to rest speculation surrounding Brownlee, who remains in consideration for Gilas Pilipinas’ Asian Games roster.
Brownlee has been recovering from multiple injuries and was previously listed as a possibility for the Philippines’ final roster spot for the continental competition.
The seven-time PBA champion has been a key figure in Gilas’ recent international success, helping the Philippines reclaim the men’s basketball gold medals in both the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games.
Brownlee was previously sanctioned after the International Testing Agency flagged him for a prohibited substance following the Philippines’ gold-medal campaign at the 2023 Asian Games.
He served a provisional suspension beginning Nov. 9, 2023, which made him unavailable for Barangay Ginebra’s title defense in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the time.
Brownlee remains part of the discussion for Gilas’ Asian Games lineup as the national team prepares for its title defense in Japan. (Adrian Co)
