Imports showcase diversity

MANILA, Philippines — Only Barangay Ginebra hasn’t disclosed its import for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, set to start Nov. 5, but the word is Justin Brownlee’s interim replacement has been identified and he’s no stranger to the league. Ginebra will reveal who the import is once his contract is signed, sealed and delivered.

The other 11 imports are an array of diversity, versatility and experience. Five are NBA veterans, four were drafted by NBA teams including two first rounders and eight countries are represented. The height limit for imports is 6-9.

The five NBA veterans are Magnolia’s Tyler Bey (Dallas, 2020-21, 18 games), NLEX’ Thomas Robinson (Sacramento, Houston, Portland, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, LA Lakers, 313 games in five seasons), Rain or Shine’s DaJuan Summers (Detroit, New Orleans, LA Clippers, 83 games in four seasons), Phoenix’ Jonathan Williams (LA Lakers, Washington, 30 games in two seasons) and TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (Brooklyn, Toronto, Portland, 305 games in six seasons).

The countries represented by the imports are Puerto Rico (Blackwater’s Chris Ortiz), Belgium (Terrafirma’s Thomas De Thaey), Nigeria (Meralco’s Suleiman Braimoh), New Zealand (Converge’s Tom Vodanovich), Lebanon (Robinson), Jordan (Jefferson), Australia (NorthPort’s Venky Jois whose father is Indian) and the US (Bey, San Miguel Beer’s Tyler Stone, Williams, Summers).

Summers, 35, is the senior of the pack. Braimoh, 34, Stone, 32, Robinson, 32, Ortiz, 30 and Jois, 30 are others in the 30-and-over group. Drafted by NBA teams were Summers (Detroit, second round, 2009), Robinson (Sacramento, first round, 2012), Jefferson (Portland, first round, 2015) and Bey (Philadelphia, second round, 2020). Nine are making their PBA debut with Vodanovich, Jefferson and Ginebra’s interim import the only returnees. Two have suited up in 10 countries as imports before landing here – Summers in Italy, Ukraine, Spain, Turkey, Russia, France, Puerto Rico, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan and Bahrain and Braimoh in Qatar, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Germany, Russia, France, Israel, Spain and Turkey.