Ginebra import Justin Brownlee. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Barely two weeks after the conclusion of the Philippine Cup, teams wage war anew in the 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, set to tip off this March 17.
And for this conference’s cast of reinforcements, it will be an even mix of the old and the new.
Governors’ Cup hero Justin Brownlee will return for Ginebra this second conference, but the 6-foot-7 forward will be one of the smallest imports with no height limit this conference.
High-scoring Eugene Phelps will also get his second tour of duty for Phoenix, same as baby-faced import James White for Mahindra.
Former Best Import awardee Wayne Chism is also coming back in a reunion with coach Yeng Guiao, though
this time, they will be representing NLEX.
Ex-GlobalPort import Shawn Taggart, meanwhile, will be donning the Rain or Shine jersey in its title defense in the second conference.
Also returning to the PBA is former Best Import Denzel Bowles, albeit this time, he’ll be suiting up for his former franchise’s rival TNT.
Star has opted to field in a new face as it tapped the services of ex-Detroit Piston Tony Mitchell to man the paint for the Hotshots.
Blackwater has also gone the route of tapping former NBA stars, signing up former Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks big man Greg Smith, while GlobalPort will be parading ex-New Jersey Net center Sean
Williams.
Choosing a younger import, Alaska will be leaning on 24-year-old slotman Octavious Ellis, a cousin of NBA star Monta, as the Aces hope to book a return trip to the Finals this conference.
Imports from the Korean Basketball League has also made their way in the country, with Meralco tabbing Alex Stepheson and San Miguel signing up Charles Rhodes.
The 2017 PBA Commissioner’s Cup opens on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, with Meralco and Mahindra playing in the curtain raiser at 4:15 p.m., before the clash between Rain or Shine and NLEX at 7 p.m.