(UPDATE) WHILE there had been many speculations online regarding Kai Sotto’s unavailability for the coming Window 2 of the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers in Manila, Gilas coach Tim Cone said he’s leaning towards the “long-term viability” of the 7-foot-3 big man more than the tournament windows at this point.
The American mentor is well aware that Sotto is just a month into his comeback since recovering from a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury on his knee.
And given that he’s still adjusting into the scheme of things playing for the Koshigaya Alphas in the Japan B.League, Cone said he “completely understands if the team doesn’t want him to play” for Gilas.
“If I was the coach of Kai and my pro team and at this point I had to release him to another coach, which is the national team, it’s one thing if he’s playing with me all the time, and I can eyeball him, I can see what he’s doing in practice time, I can adjust the drills to make sure he’s recovering and staying healthy from his recent comeback from the injury,” shared Cone during his appearance at the sports program Power and Play of former PBA commissioner Noli Eala.
“If I can’t do that from a coaching standpoint, I woudn’t want to release him to another coach if I can’t guarantee if he can have the same attitude and same concern over him,” he added.
Cone explained that professional teams are supposed to release their players and make them available for the FIBA tournament, but at this point, considering Sotto’s health issue, Gilas would need the Filipino giant healthy and available for the World Cup instead.
“I don’t know if it’s coming from them (Sotto’s handlers) but when you say sports management, I think of the trainers around him, those working with him, those are the ones that hold him of,” said the 68-year-old Cone.
“Honestly I can’t blame him for this, and as important as this, this is a home game, we love to have him and we want to protect the home court, the long term viability of Kai is more important than the windows right in front of us,” he continued.
“We need to have him when we get to the World Cup. We need to have him down the line. That’s important. I’m really OK with it (not having Sotto in Window 2). I’m just hoping we can work things out and hoping he’s continually healthy,” he added.
Sotto’s presence would have been a boost for Gilas, especially against the two former Oceania basketball powerhouse squads.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto averaged 15 points, 12.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists during the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers.
The torn ACL on his knee in January 2025 though prevented him from playing for Gilas, which dropped a shock 91-84 loss to Taiwan in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers last year, followed by an 87-70 whipping at the hands of New Zealand.
At the close of Gilas’ first week of preparation for its showdown against New Zealand on Feb. 26 and Australia on March 1, Cone already have 15 of the 16 members of the pool in practice.