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The big announcement that Kai Sotto will be joining Team Gilas Men at the FIBA qualifying windows in February is going to shake up the Filipino basketball scene.
We will finally see our local wonder in action right here on the shores of the Philippines, years after he left to train with East West and now on the GLeague Ignite team.
If there is any doubt about the window being a blockbuster, they will be erased. All the eyes of Pinoy basketball fans will be on the 7’2 young dreamer we last saw on the losing side of the Ateneo Blue Eaglets campaign. Will it lead the national team to victory?
“Lead” can be a strong word. There will likely be professional players on the team, as the PBA has already changed their start date to accommodate Gilas. Hopefully they can submit the Tab Player Wish List, as Coach Baldwin believes in building a talented team, not just a collection of talents.
League coach items?
GLeague Ignite coach Brian Shaw was “shocked” by Kai Sotto’s move to join the national team. His exact words were that it was “a first for him.” He said it is good for Kai to represent the country, but Shaw believes that the competition that will play in the bubble is better than those in the FIBA qualifying window.
Before offending us, Shaw didn’t really object, and he’s talking about the NBA GLeague, a notch just below the NBA itself. You are not wrong when you say that the competition is higher than that of FIBA. Just plain facts, although Shaw may not be the most ardent Asian basketball scout.
Kai needs a boost
Let’s give our 18 year old a break. Maybe you really want to taste home, hear your compatriots support your endeavor, even if the fans aren’t in the stadium. He has been working hard, carrying the dreams of millions of Pinoy basketball fans on his back.
Kai has been stressed by recurring questions about his place in NBA drills, something over which he has no control. Some of these mock draft writers have ulterior motives (didn’t I just write a mock draft of the PBA?) And may be beholden to the agenda of certain groups. Also, some of these drafting experts may be completely wrong.
Side note: Remember how Skal Labissiere was ranked # 2 in the ESPN 100 class of 2015? Right behind No. 1 Ben Simmons and ahead of No. 3 and 4 Brandon Ingram and Jaylen Brown. Do you know who Skal Labissiere is?
By the way, only Simmons, Ingram, and Brown remain (actively in team rotations) in the NBA from the top 10 on ESPN 100. These guys could be wrong. Completely wrong.
Kai Sotto is doing all he can. Contrary to our personal experience, it is not that easy to gain weight, which is what everyone asks you to do. Maybe he should join James Harden? Well then we could all say goodbye to our collective hopes.
The Gilas Five projected
If Kai’s intention to join together fits perfectly and if Ange Kouame’s naturalization becomes official, we will see our possible twin towers of the future. When AJ Edu recovers from his injury, this will be our young first line. We just need to supplement them with our locals.
Our 6’8-6’10 locals will comfortably play position four, or in today’s parlance, “stretch big.” They can be flexible on the pick-and-roll and even take three-point shots. Geo Chiu, Carl Tamayo, Raven Cortez, Kevin Quiambao can afford to be flexible. However, they are likely not yet joining the February bubble.
If a pro like Junemar Fajardo, possibly Poy Erram could join the core of the December window, along with CJ Pérez and Ray Parks, we could already have a formidable team. Let’s see how the team is shaping up in the next month.
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