Justin Brownlee Came to the PBA Unknown. Now He’s the Gold Standard

Ten years, seven PBA championships, four BPC awards. The legend of Justin Brownlee in Barangay Ginebra continues to grow. 

As the initial wave of celebrations continued at the SM Mall of Asia Arena, Justin Brownlee went for a routine television interview at center court after Barangay Ginebra clinched the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup championship against the TNT Tropang 5G.

At first, it was shaping up to be the usual back-and-forth, where the player gives props to his teammates, the fans, and the opposing team. That was, until Brownlee was asked this question by courtside reporter Bea Escudero: 

“JB, ten years ago, you joined Barangay Ginebra. And here you are with another championship under your belt, what does this moment mean to you?” 

What happened next was a rare show of emotion from Brownlee, who fought back tears as he reflected on his decade-long run with Barangay Ginebra. 

“It means everything….it means everything. I would never think that I would be playing still at 38 years old and winning championships,” Brownlee responded. “But these fans, they give me the energy to go out there, and just play for them, play for my family and do the best I can…it means everything.” 

After all, Brownlee came to the Philippines in 2016 as a replacement for Paul Harris. More often than not, such imports tend to be a band-aid solution. Yet in the case of Justin Noypi, what followed was the stuff of legends.

Ten years after joining the Gin Kings, Brownlee now stands as the PBA’s winningest import after winning his seventh PBA title in the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup. The 38-year-old finally moved past Alaska’s Sean Chambers, who won six titles with the Milkmen in the 1990s. 

“It’s everything,” Brownlee later told reporters when asked about his emotional moment. 

“I was thinking about the losses, I was thinking about the opportunity to be here. You know? I’ve been very fortunate to play in ten finals. I think that type of stuff normally doesn’t happen. So you know? It’s just everything,” he said. 

The path to glory, however, was far from easy. The Gin Kings had gone three years without a PBA title, with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the TNT Tropang 5G emerging as their kryptonite. 

For this conference, Brownlee and Ginebra needed to overcome the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in six games, while a TNT side led by Chris McCullough pushed them to seven games in the title fight. JB had his work cut out for him in the finals, exploding for a career-high 54 points in Game 5, and following it up with 52 in a Game 6 loss. 

There were also doubts about Bronwlee’s form and competitiveness, especially with the PBA relaxing its rules on import height limits in the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup. 

But at the end of it all, JB now stands tall with history on his side. 

“Like I said, it feels good. I’m kinda lost for words, but you know? It feels good winning the championship. We went through a lot this year; we had guys who went down with injuries; me and myself had minor injuries,” Brownlee said.

“I’m just super proud of the guys, the team, proud of the wins, the fight, and I’m glad the fans came back out and supported the PBA. And you know? It’s a great feeling.”

Images by Ed Simon/KLIQ Inc.