PBA: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson still leads Best Import race
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the TNT Tropang Giga during a PBA Commissioner’s Cup game against NLEX Road Warriors. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson boosted his chances of winning the Best Import award for the third time after emerging as frontrunner at the end of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Hollis-Jefferson compiled 52.7 Statistical Points to gain a wide lead over NorthPort’s Kadeem Jack, who is second in the list of official candidates with 49.8.
READ: PBA: ‘Calm’ Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leads TNT to another Finals
Rain or Shine’s Deon Thompson is third with 46.8 followed by Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee, the third-time winner of the award given to foreign players, with 43.5.
Forty-five percent of the statistics will be used as criteria with the rest coming from media votes (30%) and players (25%).
The Tropang Giga reinforcement was second after the eliminations with 51.8, with Jack closely behind Hollis-Jefferson at 51.6.
But Hollis-Jefferson’s massive showing in TNT’s semifinal series victory over Rain or Shine could set the ex-NBA player up for another Best Import which he had also won in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the Governors’ Cup.
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He averaged 28.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.8 blocks in 18 games for the Tropang Giga.
Jack kept his productive play in the semis, but NorthPort was handily beaten by Ginebra in the other semis series, 4-1.
His impact, however, in giving the Batang Pier just their third semis appearance in franchise history may convince voters of Jack’s worthiness to garner the award.
Jack had 31.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks in 18 matches for NorthPort.
