Gilas Pilipinas coach Tim Cone sees Kai Sotto’s presence in training camp and the FIBA Asia Cup as crucial in maintaining team chemistry for the national team.
Kai Sotto is definitely out for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025, as there’s no way the star center can fully recover from his knee injury by August.
But head coach Tim Cone assured the 7-foot-3 slotman will travel with Gilas Pilipinas for the team's campaign in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
“We wish Kai was with us [to play], but he'll be with us. Kai is gonna travel with us and he'll go. At least that's what we've worked out so far,” said Cone after Ginebra’s 101-99 escape act against Blackwater in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup on Friday, May 23.
“He's gonna go to the tournament with us, but obviously he won't play or practice or anything at that point.”
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Sotto suffered an ACL injury while playing for the Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.LEAGUE last January.
And while there’s a possibility he could join Gilas for the World Cup qualifiers, Cone would rather err on the side of caution.
“We're not gonna rush Kai back to the national team. I expect Kai to be playing for the national team when he's 35. You know, so that that's really the goal. He's gonna be playing all these years, so we're not gonna rush him back in this year,” said Cone, viewing Sotto as the cornerstone of the national team program.
“We're gonna make sure he's a hundred, or 1,000 percent so that when he does come we can use him fully.”
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Nevertheless, Cone is pleased with the fact that Sotto will be with the team in this upcoming battle, saying his presence will be crucial in continuously forging chemistry.
“But we're really pleased that he's gonna come to Jeddah with us. That's really nice. Keeps the chemistry and the bonds, keeps it moving forward,” he said.
[ALSO READ: 'He's doing it all': Kai Sotto stars in Gilas Pilipinas' breakthrough win vs. New Zealand]
Gilas Pilipinas will play Chinese Taipei, New Zealand, and Iraq in Group D action in the regional meet in Jeddah.
(With reports from One Sports' Gillian Trinidad)