TNT has fielded in spectacular imports who eventually etched themselves in PBA lore. Here are some of them.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson appears to be on track to win the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Best Import award.
This after garnering 57.4 Statistical Points (SPs) after the semifinals of the ongoing season-opening conference. Justin Brownlee, widely considered among the greatest imports in PBA history, is a distant second with 50.9.
The former Brooklyn Net has been nothing short of amazing this conference for the Troapng Giga. Behind RHJ’s brilliance on both ends of the floor, TNT leads the Finals series against Ginebra, 2-1.
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His best performance yet came in Game 2 of the ongoing finale, where he churned out 37 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block, all without taking a break.
TNT's eye for finding a gem of an import like RHJ is no longer surprising.
The Tropang Giga have a history of bringing in spectacular imports, who eventually etched themselves in PBA lore like Jerald Honeycutt in the 2000s.
In the last 15 years alone, TNT has brought in some heavy hitters in the PBA. Here are four of the most notable ones, besides the spectacular Rondae:
Richard Howell
Richard Howell was a beast inside the paint for the then Tropang Texters.
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As the Best Import awardee of the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup, Howell averaged 19.5 points and 18.6 rebounds, while also norming 1.7 assists and 1.6 steals.
(Richard Howell was Best Import for TNT 10 years ago. The Tropang Texters' sweep of the 2014 Commissioner's Cup eliminations remains the most recent elims sweep in the PBA)
Thanks in large part to Howell, TNT was so dominant it swept the elimination round, 9-0, and went undefeated in the playoffs until Game 1 of the Finals against the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers.
Unfortunately for Howell and TNT, the team ran into the Coffee Mixers who would eventually win the Finals, 3-1, on the way to a Grand Slam season that year.
Terrence Jones
There was never any doubt Terrence Jones was the Best Import of the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup.
Everyone saw it coming.
The former Houston Rocket garnered 1,254 points (548 from statistics, 477 from media votes, 79 from player votes, and 150 from the Commissioner’s Office) to earn the top individual plum.
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Behind Jones, TNT disposed of Justin Brownlee and Ginebra in the best-of-five semifinals, where the prolific import doled out two triple-double performances.
But as spectacular as he was, Jones could not gift the Tropang Giga a championship after falling short against Chris McCullough and San Miguel in the Finals.
Paul Harris
With Paul Harris in the fold, TNT only lost three games in the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Tropang Texters dropped a game in the elimination round, and two in the best-of-seven finale against Ginebra.
(Paul Harris was the first-ever import to guide Talk 'N Text to a PBA championship during the 2011 Commissioner's Cup)
Though he did not win the Best Import award, Harris took the honor of being the first import to win a PBA championship for TNT. By winning the Commissioner's Cup, Harris also helped TNT set up its Grand Slam chase for that 2011 PBA season.
Ivan Johnson
After going 4-1 in the 2015 Commissioner’s Cup with Richard Howell, TNT made the bold decision to drop the former Best Import for former Atlanta Hawk Ivan Johnson.
That move eventually turned out to be for the better as Johnson brought the toughness and inside presence the Tropang Texters badly needed.
The imposing import was embroiled in a few altercations, among them the one against Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao in the Finals.
(Ivan Johnson and TNT won a 2OT Game 7 classic in the 2015 Commissioner's Cup Finals)
The temperamental Johnson was fined P150,000 for deliberately running into Guiao late in Game 1 of the said series.
Antics aside, Johnson ultimately led the Tropang Texters’ Commissioner’s Cup conquest.
The issues unfortunately didn't stop after that title. For his next tour of duty with the team, Johnson was initially banned for life from the PBA after a verbal altercation with then commissioner Chito Narvasa.
After Johnson apologized, the PBA reduced the ban to the rest of the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.