Tim Cone unfazed as Justin Brownlee eyes full recovery ahead of Guam showdown

As Gilas Pilipinas ramps up preparations for the opening window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, head coach Tim Cone isn’t losing a wink of sleep overJustin Brownlee’s readiness — even after the beloved naturalized star was sidelined by pneumonia.

Brownlee’s return to Manila came with noticeable weight loss and uncertainty regarding his conditioning, especially after the illness forced him to skip what would have been his first-ever stint with Meralco in the East Asia Super League. 

His layoff has been long: the last time Brownlee saw competitive action was back on August 13, when he logged 10 points, three rebounds and four assists in Gilas’ quarterfinal loss to Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup.

Yet Cone, who has coached Brownlee through countless battles with Barangay Ginebra and now with the national team, remains firmly optimistic.

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It’s almost showtime for Justin Brownlee

Gilas Pilipinas will embark on the Road to Qatar at the #FIBAWC Qualifiers beginning 27 November #StepItUp pic.twitter.com/CKJFfzuROJ

— FIBA Basketball World Cup (@FIBAWC) November 4, 2025

“He is here. He is okay. He looks good,” Cone said. “He looks like he lost a little weight, which is probably good for him. He probably lost (weight) because he was sick more than from workout.”

The timing of the illness could have alarmed a lesser program — Guam awaits on November 28 for Gilas’ away fixture before returning to Manila for the rematch on December 1 at the Blue Eagle Gym. But Cone believes the window between now and those dates is exactly what Brownlee needs.

“But he’s got some weight that he can gain over the next week or two and get back to playing shape,” Cone added.

Gilas officially begins its buildup on Tuesday at the Blue Eagle Gym, where the staff plans to gradually integrate Brownlee back into full-contact drills. Cone acknowledged he hasn’t witnessed Brownlee take part in any workouts yet, mainly because Ginebra recently came off a grueling back-to-back schedule.

“He didn’t work out with Ginebra yet. We had back-to-back games… Just physically, I’ve seen him. But I haven’t seen him play yet or work out. But you know, Justin is Justin. They don’t call him Magic Brownlee for nothing. He finds a way,” Cone said.

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