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Delivering a PBA finals performance for the ages, Justin Brownlee more than justified Tim Cone’s faith in him and solidified his status in league lore.
Tim Cone heard all the noise and read all the internet junk about their decision to stick with Justin Brownlee for the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup. The anti-Brownlee argument – as silly as that sounds – mostly had to do with age and the fact that other teams had enlisted seven-footers and younger NBA veterans.
“I’m aware of what’s going on in social media and what people say,” Cone said in the aftermath of Barangay Ginebra’s title-clinching 88-76 win over the TNT Tropang 5G late Wednesday night. “I mean, I’m not a guy that sits there for five hours and watches social media, but I do try to keep up a little bit. I want to know what people are saying and thinking.”
“Some of it can be pretty harsh, but oftentimes there’s truth to it. And so it was, why are we bringing Justin back? He’s 38, he’s the smallest import. And I’ve always said I think Justin has an easier time against bigger imports than he does against smaller imports.
“The bigger imports can’t guard him. So it always comes down to a local trying to guard him, and that’s a constant matchup problem for the other team.”
Indeed, whenever Barangay Ginebra needed a bucket, Brownlee put his head down and went to work. It didn’t matter who TNT put on him; he always found a way to either score or hit the open man.
The numbers also back up Cone’s assertions. Brownlee was named Best Import this conference, his fourth overall and his third in a Commissioner’s Cup. Then there’s what he did against TNT. In seven games, he averaged 36.6 points, 9.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists on 58% field goal shooting. This includes back-to-back games of 54 and 52 points, the former being his PBA career-high.
Not bad for a 38-year-old. But Tim Cone and Ginebra already knew this.
“We see Justin every day. We see how much he works. He hasn’t changed at all from the age of 38 to 25. He still does the same work every day, all the time, shows up at every practice, never asks him to sit out. He does all the work.
“So, yeah, we feel a little justified, bringing Justin in. And I think he had a little chip on his shoulder as well because he knows that’s what was going on.”
Brownlee’s GOAT Case: Seven PBA Titles and an All-Time Import Record
The 2026 Commissioner’s Cup title is Brownlee’s seventh, making him the all-time leader among PBA imports. In Cone’s mind, that makes Justin Brownlee the greatest PBA import of all time.
Those are words that Cone doesn’t take lightly, for in winning his seventh title Brownlee surpassed Sean Chambers – another PBA great with whom Cone has very close ties.
“And he just, again, proved himself that he’s the GOAT (greatest of all time) of all imports. I mean, it’s hard to argue against it. I mean, there’s some Tony Harris’s out there, Norman Black, Sean Chambers, many others, but it’s hard to argue against the winningest import of all time now.
“He is the winningest import of all time. And plus the numbers he books up and how long he’s been here and playing for the national team as well. I mean, the guy’s a machine. He’s incredible.”
Cone pointed out that Justin Brownlee and Sean Chambers share several traits that make them winners, even if their games are vastly different.
“Sean was a post-up guy back in the day when post-up was really important to the game. But he was also a terrific athlete. I think the two things they have in common, though, is that both were incredibly coachable. They are coachable players. And they work hard to fit into the team. A lot of imports walk in, and they want you to cater to them as a player.
“Sean and Justin walk into the game, and they want to cater to the team. They want to find a way to cater to the team. They hang out with the players. They’re never on the side by themselves. And I think that’s a big thing.”
“I’ve always said it’s not about getting the best import. It’s never about getting the best import. I mean the most talented, best import. It’s about getting the import that fits you the best.
“And Sean and Justin have always been tremendous fits for us through the years. And that’s why I guess they have like 11 championships, no, like 13 championships between them.”
Banner images by Ed Simon/KLIQ, Inc.
Frequently Asked Questions
Justin Brownlee won his seventh PBA title with Barangay Ginebra in the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup, surpassing Sean Chambers to become the all-time winningest import in PBA history. He has also been named Best Import four times overall, including three Commissioner’s Cup awards.
Brownlee averaged 36.6 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game across seven Finals games against TNT Tropang Giga, shooting 58% from the field. He posted back-to-back games of 54 and 52 points, with 54 points being his PBA career-high.
Tim Cone and Ginebra retained Brownlee because of his daily work rate, coachability, and the consistent matchup problems his scoring creates for opposing teams. Cone noted that bigger imports cannot guard Brownlee effectively, making him a tactical fit regardless of his age.
Both Brownlee and Chambers share coachability and team-first approaches rather than demanding a system built around them. Chambers was a post-up player suited to an earlier era of PBA basketball; Brownlee is a perimeter-oriented scorer. Together they hold 13 PBA championships between them.
Justin Brownlee is now the all-time winningest import with seven PBA titles as of 2026. Tim Cone named Sean Chambers, Tony Harris, and Norman Black among the historically significant imports, but noted Brownlee’s title record, statistical output, longevity, and national team service set him apart.