TONY Bishop — not Justin Brownlee — will be Barangay Ginebra’s import in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup starting Nov. 5.

Bishop, the 6-8 American-Panamanian who played for the Meralco Bolts in the PBA in 2021-22, will suit up for the Kings as a replacement for Brownlee.

Ginebra coach Tim Cone said the 34-year-old Bishop was tapped by the Kings after Brownlee tested positive to a banned substance during the Gilas Pilipinas’ successful campaign in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.

The 35-year-old Brownlee tested positive for Carboxy-THC, a substance linked to marijuana use.

“We have searched out another import. We’re bringing in Tony Bishop, the ex-Meralco import that we played against in the finals a couple of years ago,” said Cone in an interview with CNN Philippines.

“He was a guy that we had such a tough time with, such a tough time defending. He was so versatile and so level-headed. We couldn’t get under his skin so he was one of the first guys we thought about,” added Cone.

The Dallas-born Bishop was reportedly set to join a team in Mexico as an import, when the call from Ginebra came.

He chose Ginebra.

“We were fortunate because he was just ready to go to Mexico as an import and we caught him just in time,” explained Cone.

Bishop’s most recent campaign was in Puerto Rico where he averaged 13.2 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists for Arecibo.

Bishop, who is set to arrive in the country on Saturday in time for the Ginebra practice on Monday, actually had memorable battles against Brownlee.

Bishop and Meralco, however, lost to Brownlee and Ginebra, 4-2, in the 2021 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Bishop also lost to Brownlee for the Best Import award in the same conference.

Actually, Bishop will only be the second import outside Brownlee to play for the Kings since 2018.

The only other import was Charles Garcia who had a brief stint in 2018 before also getting replaced by Brownlee.

Aside from Bishop, three other balik-imports are also set to strut their wares in the coming conference.

The three returning imports are Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (TNT Tropang Giga), Thomas Robinson (NLEX Road Warriors), and Tom Vodanovich (Converge FiberXers).

Hollis-Jefferson played as a naturalized player for Jordan, which lost to Gilas Pilipinas in the gold medal game in the Asian Games.

Robinson flew in late last year to suit up for San Miguel Beermen in the 2022 Commissioner’s Cup, but suffered back spasms and flew back to America for treatment.

He was eventually replaced by Diamond Stone.

Robinson was the No. 5 pick overall in the 2012 NBA Draft and played five seasons in the league and has played extensively in Europe, although he’s been inactive for over a year.

They will be up against new imports from the eight other teams.

The new faces are Tyler Stone (San Miguel Beermen), Venky Jois (NorthPort Batang Pier), Tyler Bey (Magnolia Hotshots), Suleiman Braimoh (Meralco Bolts), DaJuan Summers (Rain or Shine Elasto Painters), Chris Ortiz (Blackwater Bossing), Thomas De Thaey (Terrafirma Dyip) and Jonathan Williams (Phoenix Super LPG).