Questions lingered whether Kai Sotto should have joined Gilas Pilipinas during the Manama window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers after Princepal Singh was called up by India in the same venue.
For national team program director Tab Baldwin, it’s not about whether the 7-foot-2, 18-year-old enigma should not or should be there. The question is whether Gilas is part of Sotto’s plans.
“I think that issue is in Kai’s court.
“Obviously, we will welcome Kai anytime he’s available. We look forward to them being with the team as much as possible. But that decision is I think with Kai and his team of people and where they see Gilas and his development and how much they see Gilas as an endgame for them or whether the NBA is the only endgame that they are pursuing,” Baldwin told Coaches Unfiltered.
“Everything becomes subservient to that,” he continued.
Baldwin would have loved to have Sotto in the second window as Gilas’ frontline was very thin. The Philippines only had Isaac Go, Justine Baltazar, and Kemark Carino as legit bigs while Kobe Paras and William Navarro had to play the four spot.
Before Sotto left for the States two years ago, Baldwin shared that he had a conversation with the Ateneo High School product.
“I remember talking with Kai and he always said that he loves to represent his country so hopefully it’s going to happen and hopefully it’s going to happen more often than not,” bared Baldwin.
With Sotto wanting to be part of Gilas, Baldwin opined that there should not be a problem with everyone involved on whether he joins Gilas or not despite being in the G League.
“We just live in a world today where there is tug of wars going on for many players and these players, on the one hand, I feel sorry for them that they have the scenarios on their lives. But on the other hand, you have to say that what they’ve done is they created more options for themselves professionally and that’s positive for their lives and their families.”
Obviously, Gilas will go all out with its lineup come the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
But for Baldwin — who steered New Zealand to the Olympics, he and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas won’t just take a look at individual talent to fill the spots.
“We’re not gonna select a team that is the most talented group of players, we’re gonna select the best team and part of becoming the best team is becoming part of the environment and learning the skills and learning the cohesion with the other players,” he said.
“So, it’s not a situation where at the last minute I’m gonna say this player is available and that player is available, and let’s just take the best ones.”
