Justin “Noypi” Brownlee has come a long way playing in the Philippines
My introduction to Justin Brownlee was back in 2016 when I was still covering the Philippine Basketball Association for business broadsheet BusinessWorld.
He came in as a replacement for Paul Harris for Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup. Harris was a champion import for a different team a couple of years back and was one of the reinforcements being kept an eye on especially since he was playing for the league’s most popular league.
As it would turn out, Harris’ stay with the Kings lasted only one game after he suffered a thumb injury, which would require a number of weeks for recovery.
Since Barangay Ginebra could not wait that long for Harris, it decided to find a replacement, who turned out to be Brownlee. The St. John’s product would be a blessing of an import for the Kings not only for that year but for the succeeding seasons as well.
When I got wind that Brownlee was going to be a replacement import, I immediately hit the internet to help me with my report. And as I pored over articles written about him there was something in me that felt he could actually work for the Kings even if I had not seen him play in person.
What stood for me about Brownlee entering the PBA was his all-around play that he brought to the teams he played prior for. Before joining the Kings, he played in the French league for Elan Chalon where he averaged 11.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 36 games. He was also an NBA G-League veteran who owned career averages of 10.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
He was also listed as 6’7” then, in the PBA he is actually 6’4”, and has the physique and the agility to be a force to reckon with in the local pro league.
Brownlee eventually proved me right as in his first conference with Barangay Ginebra, he averaged solid numbers of 28.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, 3.8 points and 1.7 steals in 22 games, with an overall record of 15–7. He capped his first stint with the Kings by giving the team the 2016 Governors’ Cup title with a magical buzzer-beating triple that was heard around the Philippines in Game Six of the finals against the Meralco Bolts.
That was only the start of Brownlee’s impressive run with the Kings as he went on to help the team win five more titles after, the most recent the 2022–23 Commissioner’s Cup title which they claimed in seven games over guest team Bay Area Dragons. He is looking to add a seventh title in the ongoing PBA Governors’ Cup.
Along the way, too, he helped San Miguel Alab Pilipinas to the ASEAN Basketball League title in 2018.
Apart from the PBA titles, the super import has collected three best import awards since starting his league journey. He is also one of five imports who have scored 5,000 points or more in PBA history.
In recent years, the idea of Brownlee suiting for the Philippine national team as a naturalized player was brought up. It actually made sense since he is already familiar with the players and coaches serving for the national as well as the style of play of the nationals.
He also has the respect and admiration of not only his peers and bosses here but also Filipino basketball fans in general and, on his part, sincerely loves playing for the local fans.
Last year, the push to make him a naturalized player gained a lot of momentum, with proponents bent on making it happen. No sooner his naturalization became final, allowing him to suit up for the national team.
He made his Philippine debut last February 24 against Lebanon in a FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers sixth window game at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
As expected, Brownlee delivered, leading Gilas Pilipinas to a victory over the Lebanese team, 107–96. He led with a team-high 17 points, going 2-of-3 from beyond the arc, along with five assists, four rebounds and two steals.
He is set to play his next Gilas game today, February 27, versus Jordan set for 6 p.m. at the Philippine Arena.
With how he played in his first game with the nationals and how the rest of the team responded to him, some pundits and observers are now floating the idea that he could be a better fit for Gilas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup later this year. This, even over a bona-fide National Basketball Association talent in Jordan Clarkson, who suited up for the team in the previous window of the qualifiers.
Brownlee sure did make a strong case for himself to be a staple in Gilas and it is going to be interesting how the people in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas, the national basketball federation, will go about choosing the naturalized player for the World Cup from now until August.
But whether or not he gets the nod, Brownlee’s basketball journey in the Philippines has been one great story. From a “let’s see what he can do” replacement PBA import, to being a multi-titled and decorated league reinforcement, to now Justine “Noypi” Brownlee playing for Gilas, he has gone a long way indeed.
Lucky are we to have witnessed it all.
