Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings resident import Justin Brownlee is making progress in his recovery and has been in communication with the team about a possible return, although he is not expected to play right away.
Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone said in an interview with Fastbreak columnist Homer Sayson that Brownlee has been dealing with health issues rather than an injury and is now in better condition.
“The real story is the real story. He’s had health (not injury) issues that he had to overcome. He’s better and is talking to us about coming over soon, but not to play initially. We’ll see how it all shakes out in the next few weeks,” Cone said.
Brownlee has been unavailable to the Gin Kings during its PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup campaign after previously serving as the franchise’s longtime resident import.
The three-time PBA Best Import was also absent from the national team’s recent commitments, adding to uncertainty over when he would return to competitive basketball.
Ginebra recently brought in Jordan Murphy as its new import, with Cone giving the 6-foot-6 forward a positive early assessment after his debut in the Gin Kings’ 87-80 win over the Mongolia Vipers.
For now, Murphy is expected to handle Ginebra’s import duties while the team monitors Brownlee’s situation in the coming weeks. (Adrian Co)
