Size is once again shaping the storyline of the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup, with most teams loading up on towering imports to exploit the tournament’s unlimited-height rule. As the midseason conference draws closer, the league is bracing for a big-man arms race that could redefine matchups on both ends of the floor.
Terrafirma is going all in on sheer size with 7-footer Mubasha Ali, while Magnolia countered by signing 6-foot-9 Terrell Brown-Soares less than a month before tip-off. The trend continues across the league, with Meralco sticking with the bruising 6-foot-9 Ismael Romero, Blackwater locking in 6-foot-11 Daniel Ochefu, and Rain or Shine welcoming 6-foot-9 Jaylen Johnson. Meanwhile, TNT is finalizing talks with a potential game-changer in 7-foot-3 former NBA big man Bol Bol.
Ali, a 28-year-old native of Helsinki, Finland, is expected to arrive in Manila this week, joining Ochefu, who already has PBA familiarity after stints with Rain or Shine in 2023 and later TNT in the East Asia Super League. Brown-Soares and Romero are already on the ground, with Romero enjoying a clear chemistry edge after suiting up for the Bolts since the start of the EASL in October.
Several teams have also wasted no time integrating their imports. NLEX has brought in 6-foot-10 Cady Lalanne, Phoenix tapped fellow 6-foot-10 big man James Dickey, while Barangay Ginebra once again turns to the ever-reliable Justin Brownlee. At 6-foot-6, Brownlee may be the smallest import in the field, but his impact and championship pedigree loom as large as anyone’s.
Lalanne, a former second-round pick of the San Antonio Spurs in the 2015 NBA Draft, already offered a preview of his potential during Meralco’s final EASL group-stage game against the Ryukyu Golden Kings, hinting at the physical battles to come in the Commissioner’s Cup.
As of now, Converge, San Miguel, and guest squad Macau Black Bears remain without announced imports ahead of the March 11 conference opening. With the rest of the league already stacked with size, the pressure is on for late movers to find their own giants—or risk being dwarfed when the ball goes up.