JUSTIN Brownlee remains the Philippines’ listed naturalized player for the upcoming Asian Games, but the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is keeping the door open for a late replacement should he fail to recover from several injuries in time.
SBP executive director Erika Dy confirmed that Brownlee is still on the submitted roster despite his current health concerns.
“So now, ang nakalista pa rin naman si JB, si Justin Brownlee,” Dy said.
But whether or not Brownlee will be ready for the upcoming Asian Games, however, remains unknown.
“Whether he will be ready by then or not, hindi pa natin alam. But sa ngayon, siya iyung nasa line-up naman natin,” she added.
Should Brownlee remain unavailable, the Philippines can still seek a late replacement through the proper OCA process.
“Kung hindi talaga niya pa kaya, mag-file tayo ng late replacement,” Dy said.
Dy was also asked about reports circulating that Justin Arana, Robert Bolick and Adrian Nocum are already assured of spots on the Asian Games roster.
She declined to confirm the report, saying the final lineup remains under the coaching staff’s responsibility.
“Sa totoo lang, hindi ko alam. Si coach Tim Cone makakasagot niya when it comes to the lineup,” Dy said.
The uncertainty comes after Gilas Pilipinas completed a perfect fourth window in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers, beating Jordan and Iran without Brownlee.
The Philippine squad will now shift its attention to the Asian Games, where the composition of the final roster remains one of the biggest questions heading into the continental competition. (Jesus Nathaniel Valdez)
