Kai Sotto couldn’t wait to learn more from Tim Cone, who once upon a time also coached his father Ervin with Alaska in the PBA.
Kai Sotto was still an aspiring basketball player when his dad, Ervin, won a championship with the coach Tim Cone-led Alaska Aces back in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference.
Growing up, he’s heard a lot of good stories about Cone, widely-considered the GOAT of Philippine coaches. After all, Ervin played under Cone from 2008 to 2012.
[RELATED STORY: Four-time Coach of the Year Tim Cone reveals 'coolest thing in the world']
Now, the 7-foot-3 center gets the stories first-hand as Kai was named part of the 12-man roster Tim Cone plans to keep for the next four years in the hopes that continuity will breed more success for the Gilas Pilipinas program.
[RELATED STORY: Paris? LA? Gilas Pilipinas' road to Olympics begins in FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, says Tim Cone]
In a press conference before the team left for Hong Kong for the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, Sotto didn’t hide his excitement on being guided by a coach that once handled his father.
“Sobrang madami ko natutunan kay coach Tim. Kahit dad ko naging player ni coach Tim, ang daming nyang good stories about [him],” said the Gilas slotman.
“I think lahat kami, sa short period of time maraming natutunan. Marami kamig iaapply pagdating sa game.”
It seemed that some of which were indeed applied when Gilas gave Hong Kong a 94-64 beating before a raucous Filipino crowd at the Tsuen Wan Sports Centre.
In their first game together as player and coach, Sotto put up a double-double effort of 13 points and 15 rebounds and proved to be the difference with his sheer size alone.
And with the two teaming up in the four-year program of the national team, it seems Sotto will not only rack up wisdom but also pile up wins along the way.
Perhaps an Olympic berth, too?