Robert Bolick and Roosevelt Adams were just some of the names suggested by netizens in light of news that Gilas Pilipinas is scrambling for manpower ahead of the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers’ first window here in Manila.
The Nationals found themselves beset with such woes when the program basically hit the reset button by replacing Tab Baldwin with Chot Reyes.
But why those two, you wonder? Well, that’s because both players have decided not to renew with their respective ball clubs in the PBA.
Adams, the no. 1 pick of the 2019 Rookie Draft, no longer exercised the option to stay with Terrafirma for a third season to become a restricted free agent.
Ditto with Bolick. The third overall selection in 2018 could not come to terms with NorthPort, as reported by Tiebreaker Times recently.
Such an idea was then asked to no less than Reyes during his guest appearance in Radyo5’s Power and Play. And he responded.
“I don’t know if Adams is eligible,” he told the program hosted by former PBA Commissioner Noli Eala. “I’d love to have Robert Bolick in the lineup.”
Adams is actually eligible to play for Gilas as a local. The 6-foot-6 Fil-Am was able to secure a Philippine passport before turning 16, meaning that he has very well complied with the well-known ‘Hagop rule.’
Bolick, on the other hand, was in Reyes’ 23 for ’23 pool made back in 2018, eventually becoming part of Gilas that saw action in the 2019 World Cup in China — where the country finished dead last among 32 nations.
The multi-titled mentor disclosed that the San Beda great had reached out to him, and they have been in constant communication since.
However, even if he would love to have a talent like Bolick, Reyes admitted that bringing him in now would be far from ideal, mainly due to time constraints.
“But for now, because we’re playing in three weeks, I think to be able to assimilate another variable into the mix is going to be very difficult,” he said, as the Asian Qualifiers’ first window is on February 24-28.
Thus, the decision to reel in TNT players to the team, together with some of the Gilas cadets from the program Baldwin honed in the last two years.
“I know a lot of other players have reached out. But for now, we’re keeping it first to the players na magkakakilala na — ‘yung Talk ‘N’ Text, and the Gilas. So that isang integration lang pinaguusapan natin,” he explained.
“Hindi na ‘yung merong pang from NorthPort, meron pa from another team, it’s going to be very difficult — at least for this window.”
