Tim Cone, Gilas Pilipinas back Kai Sotto’s NBA pursuit

MANILA, Philippines – Gilas Pilipinas does not plan to get in the way if Kai Sotto wants to give the NBA another shot.

Head coach Tim Cone said the national team will once again miss the services of the 7-foot-3 star in the third window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

“Kai is working on his plan to go to the NBA. We’re not going to interfere with that,” Cone said before the Nationals left the country for the back-to-back road games against New Zealand and Australia. 

“If he could be here, I think he’d be here. But he’s got other plans trying to go through another path along the NBA.” 

Sotto has not donned the national colors since he suffered a knee injury in January 2025.

In March, Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Ricky Vargas said the 24-year-old big man of Japan B. League club Koshigaya Alphas is still chasing his NBA dreams, possibly through the US NCAA path.

Sotto joined the 2022 NBA Draft but went unselected, although he managed to see action in the NBA Summer League for the Orlando Magic in 2023.

With Sotto on board, Gilas has pulled off historic wins, including a giant upset of Latvia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and a breakthrough victory over New Zealand in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in 2024.

Since Sotto got injured, the Philippines has compiled a 4-7 in FIBA play, losing thrice to New Zealand and twice to Australia. 

“It’s too bad because Kai would make an incredible difference and really, really give us a chance,” said Cone.

With Sotto and 6-foot-10 Quentin Millora-Brown, who underwent back surgery, not available, Gilas brought in Mike Phillips and Justine Baltazar for the July 3 clash against New Zealand in Auckland and the July 6 battle with Australia in Perth. 

Sitting at third in Group A with a 2-2 record, the Philippines needs to maintain a top-three finish to advance to the second round of the Asian Qualifiers. 

“We just got to go with the people we have and we expect them to put up a good fight,” said Cone. – Rappler.com