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| Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is staying put with TNT for the PBA Commissioner's Cup. PBA Images (file photo) |
LAS PINAS--It's final: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson will stay as TNT's import for the PBA Commissioner's Cup.
On Saturday, Coach Chot Reyes confirmed the development when he was officially introduced as the newest brand ambassador for the sports betting app Daily Fantasy at the SM Southmall Events Hall.
"With him, the chemistry is already there, and I thought we would have our best chances of winning this conference," Reyes said.
It will be the second straight season the six-foot-six do-it-all forward will don the TNT blue in the Commissioner's Cup.
Hollis-Jefferson came on as the replacement for opening night import Quincy Miller last year.
However, following a back injury during an EASL game, the team brought in his older brother Rahlir to finish the conference.
With Rondae back at 100 percent health, the Tropang Giga successfully defended their PBA Governors' Cup title once again at the expense of Barangay Ginebra with him named the Best Import of the Conference.
Reyes admitted that he thought about maximizing the no-height-limit rule for the Commissioner's Cup, but with his local frontline already solid enough for him, bringing Hollis-Jefferson back to solidify their wings was a no-brainer.
"We're on the lookout always. If we can find a really good 6-10 or 6-11 guy, we'll definitely consider him, but for now, with the options that we've seen--we have some really good six-foot-eight or six-foot-nine prospects. Kung ganoong height din lang meron, Rondae na," Reyes continued.
According to Reyes, TNT's first game in the PBA Commissioner's Cup is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 6, which is why they let Hollis-Jefferson return to the United States to rest before he can return to practice on Dec. 1.
The locals, though, will reconvene on Nov. 25 right after the November window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
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