PHNOM PENH, Cambodia — If plans do not miscarry, Gilas Pilipinas will be parading its tallest lineup ever when it competes in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas deputy executive director Butch Antonio revealed that there is an effort to bring together Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar in the Gilas squad that will battle the world’s best players in the World Cup that the country will host from 25 August to 10 September.
The four giants are tipped to be available by the time Gilas open their training camp on 1 June.
The 7-foot-2 Sotto, in fact, just wrapped up his campaign for the Hiroshima Dragonflies after bowing to the Chiba Jets in the playoffs of the Japan B. League.
The 6-foot-10 Edu, for his part, had already made a commitment to don the national colors after representing the country in the 2017 FIBA U18 3×3 tournament and the FIBA U19 World Cup before suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury and torn meniscus.
Now, he is back in tip-top shape and is expected to arrive in the country later this month.
‘I’m taking care of my body, beginning with a good diet. Just a little rice and more meat.’
“AJ just finished some school commitments but he will be here late this month,” Antonio told Daily Tribune.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo, a sixt-time Most Valuable Player in the Philippine Basketball Association, was sidelined by a medial collateral ligament injury that prevented him from helping San Miguel Beer make a title run in the previous Governors’ Cup.
More than that, he was not in the Cambodian capital when Gilas Pilipinas regained the crown in the men’s basketball competition of the 32nd Southeast Asian Games last Tuesday.
He, however, vowed to work hard to be available for the World Cup for the third time.
“I’ll be back in the World Cup. I just need to get better,” said Fajardo, who is slowly regaining his conditioning after taking care of his diet and starting some on-court exercises.
“I’m taking care of my body, beginning with a good diet. Just a little rice and more meat.”
‘AJ just finished some school commitments but he will be here late this month.’
Also eyeing his third World Cup stint is Aguilar, the 6-foot-9 forward who was likewise sidelined by a knee injury that kept him out of the latter part of the season-ending conference in the PBA and the biennial meet.
With Sotto, Edu, Fajardo and Aguilar tipped to become available, the SBP could opt for talent over height in recruiting its naturalized player.
In the past, Gilas Pilipinas was represented by big naturalized players like Marcus Douthit in the 2011 and 2013 FIBA Asia Championships, Andre Blatche in the 2014 and 2019 World Cups and, a few years ago, Ange Kouame of Ateneo de Manila University in the FIBA Asia Cup and Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Recently, Justin Brownlee played the role of a naturalized player and led Gilas Pilipinas to the SEA Games gold.
His spot, however, is expected to be taken by National Basketball Association star Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz for the World Cup.
