Barangay Ginebra star Jamie Malonzo celebrates his 29th birthday as the newest acquisition of the Kyoto Hannaryz in the Japan B.LEAGUE, thus ending his five-year career in the PBA.
Jamie Malonzo is Japan-bound.
On his 29th birthday, Kyoto Hannaryz announced that they had signed the Barangay Ginebra swingman for the 2025-26 Japan B.LEAGUE season.
Earlier, Malonzo earned a spot on the official 12-man Gilas Pilipinas roster for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025.
[ALSO READ: Gilas Pilipinas lock in final 12 with Justin Brownlee, Dwight Ramos for FIBA Asia Cup 2025]
This surprising move ends Malonzo's five-year stint in the PBA, including the last three with Ginebra.
During the season-ending Philippine Cup, Malonzo averaged 13.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists across 18 games. But Barangay Ginebra fell to the eventual champions San Miguel Beermen in the semifinals after a thrilling seven-game series.
The NorthPort Batang Pier selected the former DLSU Green Archer second overall in the 2020 PBA Draft.
Malonzo spent one season with the team before the Batang Pier traded for him in a deal that also involved former Best Player of the Conference awardee Arvin Tolentino.
[ALSO READ: Jamie Malonzo details how Ginebra's system, influence help Gilas Pilipinas]
It’s worth noting that Tolentino also left the league to sign with the Seoul SK Knights in the KBL earlier in May.
[ALSO READ: NorthPort star Arvin Tolentino bolts to KBL, signs with Seoul SK Knights]
Malonzo claimed his first and only PBA title in the Season 48 Commissioner's Cup, where the Barangay defeated the Bay Area Dragons in a hard-fought seven-game series.
A two-time All-Star and one-time Mythical Team member, the 29-year-old now joins a Kyoto side who finished 33-27 last season.
Matthew Wright was the last ex-PBA player to play for Kyoto, spending three seasons with the squad before joining the Kawasaki Brave Thunders last year.
Despite barely missing the playoffs, the team ended up with their best record in nearly a decade and the addition of the two-way player like Malonzo should provide additional depth to the squad.
For now, Malonzo will be focusing his attention to playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup from August 5 to 17.