No security for imports

Job security is not something PBA imports are known to embrace unless you’re a fixture like Justin Brownlee. As they say, you’re only as good as your last game. If your team isn’t winning or you’re seen not to be a good fit, expect the pink slip. Teams can change imports even if it’s Game Seven of the Finals. An original import may be relegated to the injury list and reactivated only once upon recovery but a replacement import may not be brought back if delisted for whatever reason.

Before the Governors’ Cup started, three imports were struck out. San Miguel Beer tested Lithuanian Tauras Jogela then took in Jordan Adams. Terrafirma signed up Brandon Edwards who later went down with an ACL tear during a tune-up against Meralco. Edwards was subbed by returnee Antonio Hester. TNT tried out Darius Days but when Rondae Hollis-Jefferson became available, the Tropa brought back Jordan’s naturalized player who took the team to the Governors’ Cup throne in 2023.

Expect more changes now that the conference has started and teams are able to size up their imports in game situations. The height limit for imports is 6-6 with Jefferson, 29, the tallest of the batch at 6-5 5/8. The shortest is 6-3 7/8 Hester who happens to be the heaviest at 239.8 pounds.  Hester, 34, played only a year at NAIA school University of Mobile before traveling to Finland, Bolivia, Peru, Spain, Iceland, Switzerland, and Dominican Republic then suited up for Terrafirma in 2022 and Magnolia the next season. In between, he played for Zamboanga in the ABL. Hester is back for a third PBA conference after stops in Mongolia and Indonesia.

The other imports are Ginebra’s 6-4 5/8 Brownlee, 36, Meralco’s 6-4 1/2 Allen Durham, 36, Rain or Shine’s 6-4 3/4 Aaron Fuller, 34, San Miguel’s 6-4 1/2 Adams, 30, Blackwater’s 6-5 1/8 Ricky Ledo, 31, Phoenix’ 6-5 3/8 Jauveous McKinnis, 25, NLEX’ 6-4 1/2 Myke Henry, 31, NorthPort’s 6-5 1/2 Taylor Johns, 30, Magnolia’s 6-5 1/2 Glenn Robinson III, 30, and Converge’s 6-5 1/2 Scotty Hopson, 35. Brownlee is in his 11th conference, Durham seventh, Fuller fifth, Hester third and Jefferson third.

The imports with NBA creds are Ledo (2013 Milwaukee second round pick, played for Dallas and New York in two seasons), Jefferson (2015 Portland first round pick, played for Brooklyn, Toronto and Portland in six seasons), Robinson (2014 Minnesota second round pick, played for Minnesota, Philadelphia, Indiana, Detroit, Golden State and Sacramento in seven seasons), Adams (2014 Memphis first round pick, played for Memphis in two seasons) and Henry (played for Memphis in one season).

So far, the import who hasn’t impressed is Ledo who shot four-of-23 from the field (.174) and finished with 12 points in Blackwater’s 110-97 loss to Rain or Shine last Tuesday. It remains to be seen if he’ll be the first casualty among the imports on opening day rosters.