Justin Brownlee and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson team up with Chris Newsome and the Meralco Bolts for the 2025-26 season of the East Asia Super League.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) unveiled the Meralco Bolts’ roster for the 2025-26 season, with PBA rivals Justin Brownlee and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson headlining a revamped squad.
Both imports arrive on loan—Brownlee from Barangay Ginebra and Hollis-Jefferson from TNT—bringing with them a combined nine PBA championships and six Best Import awards.
They will be joined by Puerto Rico national team member Ismael Romero, giving Meralco a formidable trio of imports.
The local core is anchored by former PBA Finals MVP Chris Newsome, along with veterans Cliff Hodge, Chris Banchero, and Bong Quinto.
Also listed is Ange Kouame, though his availability remains uncertain after previously suiting up as a naturalized player last season. Notably, Brownlee himself is also a Philippine naturalized player.
One surprise was the absence of Jason Brickman, Meralco’s first-round pick from the PBA 50 Draft, who remains under contract with Abra in the MPBL.
This marks the Bolts’ third EASL appearance, after narrowly missing the Final Four last season.
They are slotted into Group B, where they will face the Ryukyu Golden Kings (Japan), Taoyuan Pilots (Taiwan), and the Macau Black Bears (Macau).
With Brownlee and Hollis-Jefferson joining forces for the first time, Meralco enters the new season with renewed firepower and high expectations.
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]