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Tag: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson

  • TNT welcomes back Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the Philippines as Tropang 5G awaits former import’s recovery

    TNT welcomes back Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the Philippines as Tropang 5G awaits former import’s recovery

    While TNT Tropang 5G continues its campaign in the PBA Season 50 Governor’s Cup with a new import leading the charge, the franchise received another welcome boost this week—the return of one of its most beloved reinforcements.


    Former PBA Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is back in the Philippines, not yet to suit up, but to continue the next phase of his recovery from the Achilles injury that has kept him out of action since last year. 

     

    TNT shared the update through its official social media channels on Monday, giving fans a glimpse of the former NBA forward back with the team.

     

    “Welcome back, RHJ! Back in town and back in the grind as he works his way back from injury. Dahan-dahan, pero tuloy-tuloy,” TNT wrote on their Facebook post.

     

    Hollis-Jefferson continues to recover from the ruptured Achilles tendon he suffered while playing on loan for the Meralco Bolts during the East Asia Super League (EASL) Season 3.

     

    Team manager Jojo Lastimosa said the next step will be to gradually reintegrate Hollis-Jefferson into basketball activities once he settles back in with the team.

     

    “Makikita namin sa pagdating, pagbalik niya siguro mag-uumpisa na siya ng full court na mga run ng team,” Lastimosa said.

     

    While Rondae works toward full fitness, it is his older brother, Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, who has taken over the responsibility of leading TNT’s import duties. 

     

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    The Tropang 5G signed Rahlir to replace Darius Days for the season-ending conference, giving the brothers a unique connection to the franchise during different stages of the campaign.

     

    Rahlir has already begun making his presence felt. In TNT’s recent victory over the San Miguel Beermen, the veteran forward delivered 20 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists to help the Tropang 5G secure an important win.

     

    The victory improved TNT’s position to third place in Group A with a 3-2 win-loss record. The Tropang 5G now prepare for another major challenge as they take on the unbeaten NLEX Road Warriors, coached by Jimmy Alapag, on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

     

    The Hollis-Jefferson brothers have built basketball careers that have often crossed paths despite taking different routes. Rondae established himself in the NBA before becoming one of the PBA’s most dominant imports, winning multiple Best Import awards and playing a pivotal role in TNT’s championship success. 

     

    Rahlir, meanwhile, carved out his own professional journey through various international leagues before eventually receiving the opportunity to wear the same TNT jersey his younger brother wore.

     

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  • Rondae Hollis-Jefferson eyes September return as TNT plans long-awaited reunion 

    Rondae Hollis-Jefferson eyes September return as TNT plans long-awaited reunion 

    For the first time since suffering one of the biggest setbacks of his professional career, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson can finally see the finish line.

     

    The former PBA Best Import has taken another major step in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, raising hopes that his return to TNT Tropang 5G could happen before the end of the 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup.

     

    In a recent update shared by TNT on social media, Hollis-Jefferson revealed that his rehabilitation has reached a significant milestone nearly five months after undergoing surgery.

     

    “I’m at almost five months post-surgery, I’m moving a lot better, I’m able to run, jump and start to do on court stuff,” he said.

     

    “I will say, around this five-month mark is where things start to ramp up where we do more work, pool workouts and a lot of strengthening.”

     

    Although the explosive forward is back running and working on basketball movements, he emphasized that there is still no fixed timetable for his comeback.

     

    “I can’t give y’all an exact date but we’re looking at somewhere between September and October.”

     

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    The update marks a welcome development for TNT, which has patiently waited for one of the franchise’s most successful imports to regain full health.

     

    Hollis-Jefferson suffered the devastating Achilles injury in December while suiting up for the Meralco Bolts in the East Asia Super League, abruptly ending another strong campaign just months after helping TNT capture another PBA championship.

     

    Rather than rushing his recovery, the Tropang 5G have opted for a cautious approach, prioritizing the long-term health of the former NBA veteran.

     

    With Hollis-Jefferson still completing his rehabilitation, TNT will begin its Governors’ Cup campaign with former NBA forward Darius Days serving as its reinforcement.

     

    The season-ending conference opens on July 10, though the Tropang 5G will make their first appearance on July 19 when they face guest team Macau at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

     

    If recovery continues according to plan, however, TNT’s biggest mid-conference addition may not come through a new signing—but through the return of the import who has become synonymous with the franchise’s recent championship success.

     

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  • Rondae Hollis-Jefferson returns to TNT camp, takes on mentor role for Bol Bol

    Rondae Hollis-Jefferson returns to TNT camp, takes on mentor role for Bol Bol

    The familiar presence of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was felt once again inside a TNT Tropang 5G practice—but this time, not in uniform and not chasing wins on the hardwood.

     

    Fresh off surgery to repair a torn Achilles injury suffered during his stint in the East Asia Super League, Hollis-Jefferson returned to the Philippines carrying something different: experience, perspective, and a voice TNT hopes can steady its campaign heading into the most demanding stretch of the conference.

     

    Instead of leading fast breaks or attacking the rim, RHJ was seen deep in conversation with current import Bol Bol—a symbolic passing of responsibility from one reinforcement to another.

     

    TNT made it clear that Hollis-Jefferson’s presence is intentional, even strategic.

     

    “Dumating si RHJ upang gabayan si Bol at magbahagi ng mahahalagang payo tungkol sa responsibilidad ng pagiging import ng TNT Tropang 5G habang papasok na sa mas kritikal na yugto ng conference,” the team shared on its official social media page.

     

    Hollis-Jefferson built his reputation in the PBA as more than just a scorer—he was the emotional anchor, the player who thrived under pressure and embraced the expectations that come with being TNT’s import.

     

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    Now, that same role is being translated off the court. For Bol, whose skillset and length offer a completely different dynamic, the challenge isn’t just production—it’s adaptation. The PBA’s physicality, pace, and expectations for imports demand consistency night in and night out. That’s where RHJ’s voice could prove crucial.

     

    Rather than learning through trial and error, Bol now has a firsthand guide who has already navigated the same pressure-packed environment.

     

    With the conference entering a pivotal stage, TNT is clearly tightening its structure—not just tactically, but mentally.

     

    The addition of a veteran presence like Hollis-Jefferson, even in a non-playing capacity, hints at a team preparing for high-stakes games where composure often separates contenders from pretenders.

     

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  • Justin Brownlee laments Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s absence after Meralco’s EASL exit

    Justin Brownlee laments Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s absence after Meralco’s EASL exit

    The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team Meralco Bolts saw their East Asia Super League (EASL) campaign come to another disappointing end after absorbing an 88-79 defeat to the Ryukyu Golden Kings in a virtual knockout match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, February 11.

     

    With a playoff berth on the line, the Bolts entered the contest needing a win to keep their Final Four hopes alive. Instead, they struggled to keep pace with the disciplined and well-balanced Golden Kings, who executed down the stretch to silence the home crowd and secure their spot in the next round.

     

    The loss marked the third consecutive season that Meralco has fallen short of the EASL playoffs. The Bolts finished the elimination round third in Group B with a 3-3 win-loss record, trailing the Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and the Golden Kings in the standings. Despite flashes of promise throughout the tournament, Meralco once again found themselves just outside the cutoff line.

     

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    Justin Brownlee, who has been Meralco’s centerpiece in the EASL, endured an uncharacteristically tough outing. The veteran forward struggled to find his usual rhythm against Ryukyu’s defensive schemes, which limited his scoring opportunities and forced him into difficult shots. After the game, the 37-year-old acknowledged that the absence of superstar import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was deeply felt.

    Hollis-Jefferson has been sidelined for the past two months after sustaining an Achilles injury during Meralco’s matchup against the Macau Black Bears in Ilagan. His injury not only disrupted the team’s rotation but also removed a dynamic presence who had begun developing strong chemistry with the squad.

     

    “It was very unfortunate. Rondae is obviously a special player just like myself and the rest of the guys. What he has been doing with this team before and when I got here was very special. The rhythm he had with the team was only getting better so for him to go out like that was unfortunate,” Brownlee said.

     

    Hollis-Jefferson’s ability to create off the dribble, defend multiple positions, and inject energy on both ends had given Meralco a different dimension earlier in the campaign. Without him, the Bolts leaned heavily on Brownlee and their local core, but the added pressure proved difficult to sustain against elite competition.

     

    Throughout the group stage, Meralco showed resilience, picking up key wins to stay in the playoff conversation. However, inconsistency and depth issues ultimately caught up with them. Against the Golden Kings, the Bolts struggled to contain Ryukyu’s offensive flow while also failing to generate enough second-chance opportunities.

     

    The repeated early exits will undoubtedly raise questions about Meralco’s ability to compete at the regional level, especially as other Asian clubs continue to strengthen their rosters. Still, the Bolts can draw lessons from another competitive campaign and look ahead to recalibrating for future EASL seasons and domestic PBA competitions.

     

    For now, Meralco is left to reflect on what might have been — another season in which they were within reach of the playoffs but ultimately fell short when it mattered most.

     

     

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