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MANILA, Philippines – Justin Brownlee only wants what is best for Gilas Pilipinas.
Brownlee said he is pulling for Jordan Clarkson and the national team in the FIBA World Cup despite losing the naturalized player spot to the NBA veteran.
“With JC (Clarkson), I’m happy like everybody else. Having a special talent like that come in and help out the team is amazing,” said Brownlee on Tuesday, August 15.
“For me, obviously, it would have been a dream come true for me to play in the World Cup, especially playing with the Philippines,” he added. “I’m all for the bigger picture. This program is definitely not about me.”
While Clarkson is a no-brainer choice as the Philippines’ naturalized player in the World Cup, Brownlee made a strong case for the position owing to his chemistry with the rest of the squad.
The three-time PBA Best Import, who started his career in the country in 2016, has been training with the national team even before his naturalization pushed through in January.
Brownlee debuted for the Philippines in the sixth and final window of the Asian Qualifiers a month after and helped the squad reclaim the gold medal in the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh, Cambodia in May.
He also reinforced Gilas Pilipinas at the start of its World Cup buildup, joining the squad in its European trip where it played tuneup games in Estonia and Lithuania.
But with Clarkson finally committing to play for the country in the World Cup last July 25, Brownlee needed to give way to the Utah Jazz star.
“I understand that. I’m just grateful for the opportunity that I can help make the team better and help with whatever I can help with to push the team forward,” said Brownlee.
“I wish the team and JC the best of luck,” he added. “I’m happy for the guys, I’m happy for the country, and hopefully, we have a great show here in the World Cup.”
Brownlee, though, will continue to represent the country in future tournaments as he is set to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China in September.
The Philippines will open its World Cup campaign against Dominican Republic on August 25 at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan. – Rappler.com
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