Filipino star Javi Gomez de Liano is eager to make a PBA comeback after being released by Anyang Jung

Filipino basketball star Javi Gomez de Liano is eager to make a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) comeback after being released by Korean Basketball League (KBL) team Anyang Jung Kwan Jang.

De Liano is currently part of the Strong Group Athletics squad that will compete in the upcoming 44th William Jones Cup, where his camp revealed that his former PBA club, Terrafirma Dyip, is working on a deal to bring the forward back to the league.

The 26-year-old was reportedly close to making a return to the Philippines, as Terrafirma had shown strong interest in reacquiring him. However, the move was ultimately shelved after league officials imposed a trade moratorium on the franchise due to its intention to sell.

As a result, De Liano signed a contract extension with Anyang Jung Kwan Jang, though his stint was short-lived after he was released for going “AWOL.”

“Before I signed with my KBL team last month, I was really leaning toward going back to the PBA. We were supposed to work on a trade with a certain team, but Terrafirma couldn’t trade me because our team was under a freeze,” De Liano said during a media interaction.

“When you have players with a winning mindset, you can turn it around to a winning franchise.”

Despite TerraFirma’s uncertain future in the PBA, former team star Javi Gomez de Liaño wants them to have a positive turnaround in the future if ever a new management assumes the… pic.twitter.com/Q0v7RvAkfu

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) July 9, 2025

“Since they’re in the process of selling the team, they weren’t allowed to trade players. If ever, it would’ve taken until August or September. That was too long for me to wait, so I decided to play one more year in the KBL.”

As it stands, De Liano is currently focused on performing well for Strong Group in the William Jones Cup, scheduled from July 12 to 20 in Taiwan. He plans to reassess his options after the tournament.

“Moving forward, I still hope to play overseas after focusing on this tournament. After that, I’ll talk with my agent to see what options are available. Everything’s open. I’m also considering joining the PBA, especially since my younger brother might enter the draft. Everything’s still up in the air. I’m just taking it day by day,” he added.

De Liano previously played in the PBA from 2022 to 2024 after being selected eighth overall by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Season 47 Draft. He was immediately traded to Terrafirma, where he made a strong impression during his tenure.

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