Three-time Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is itching to get back on court and help TNT defend the only remaining title under its name.

Hampered by an Achilles injury that prevented him from suiting up in the previous conference, Hollis-Jefferson looks forward to his return in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Governors’ Cup.

TNT, in the meantime, tapped Darius Days as its reinforcement for the season-ending conference that will erupt on 10 July until late December.

If Hollis-Jefferson’s timetable for recovery and conditioning goes according to schedule, the 31-year-old import could be hitting the hard court with the Tropang 5G by the middle of the tournament.

“I can’t give an exact date but we’re looking at somewhere between September and October,” the three-time champion said in a video post on TNT’s Instagram account.

The former National Basketball Association player is recovering well from the injury he sustained while suiting up for Meralco in the East Asia Super League last December.

“So, a quick update, I’m at five months post-surgery, I’m moving a lot better, I’m able to run, and lightly jump,” he shared.

“I’m starting to do on the court stuff and I would say in these five months where the things start to ramp up,” Hollis-Jefferson added.

The prized reinforcement that led TNT to a sweep of the two import-laden conferences in Season 49 is already able to do non-contact workouts.

“We’re doing more on-the-court work, pool workouts, a lot of strengthening on the calf muscles and all the muscles that lost a lot of strength while I was not able to use them,” he shared.

“And then I would say it’s just a give and take, you know, depending on how the muscle and everything strengthens and recovers, how long I’ll be out for.”

With Hollis-Jefferson out, TNT signed 7-foot-3 Bol Bol in the unrestricted height Commissioner’s Cup.

Bol, however, sustained an Achilles tear in the semifinals and was replaced by Chris McCullough.

The Tropang 5G set up a finals rematch against the Justin Brownlee-led Barangay Ginebra.

TNT dragged the series to a Game 7 but fell short of a repeat.

The Tropang 5G won’t meet the Kings Governors’ Cup unless they forge a playoffs pairing.

Under the group stage elimination format, TNT is bunched in Group B with San Miguel Beer, NLEX, guest team Macau, Terrafirma, Titan Ultra and Converge.

Ginebra is in Group A with Magnolia, Phoenix, Meralco, Blackwater and Rain or Shine.