Brownlee looks forward to playing Rondae in Asian Games
At A Glance
- Naturalized player Justin Brownlee is looking forward to playing his PBA Finals rival Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as Gilas Pilipinas battles Jordan in the group stage of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
By MARK REY MONTEJO
Naturalized player Justin Brownlee is looking forward to playing his PBA Finals rival Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as Gilas Pilipinas battles Jordan in the group stage of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

Brownlee is excited to face one of his familiar foes on the hardcourt in Hollis-Jefferson but reiterated his admiration to the latter’s game.
“It’s gonna be great, he’s an incredible player, I was just telling to one of the guys, I don’t know why he’s not in NBA, with his talent and skill set, he definitely seemed like he should be in NBA,” the 35-year-old Brownlee said on Gilas first practice on Monday, Sept. 11, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
“I don’t know why, if I was an NBA owner I'd definitely give him a job or a contract, playing against him is an honor, [him] being in the NBA, [and] one of the top players in the country,” Brownlee added.
The six-time PBA champion also noted that it will be a daunting task facing Hollis-Jefferson in the International stage as he already saw him perform in the recently concluded 2023 FIBA World Cup.
“It’s an honor to play against a guy like him and it’s gonna be tough, I gotta be prepared to play against him,” Brownlee stressed.
Brownlee previously had a perfect record in the finals but was broken by Hollis-Jefferson who anchored the Tropang Giga to their first-ever 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup title, spearheading the Jojo Lastimosa-mentored squad by averaging 30.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
He also surpassed Brownlee by winning the plum as the Best Import of the Conference.