Gilas Pilipinas is set to hold its final practice on Monday night before flying to China to compete in a four-nation pocket tournament that is part of its preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
But the inclusion of Kai Sotto and Justin Brownlee has yet to be decided.
After more than a week since arriving from the National Basketball Association Summer League, Sotto has yet to join Gilas Pilipinas in its preparation for the World Cup that the country will host from 25 August to 10 September.
Save for a couple of visits in training, Sotto remains unsure whether to suit up or not, saying that he is still recovering from a back injury that he suffered in his final game with the Orlando Magic in the Summer League.
Sideliners believe that Sotto will no longer be joining the China tourney.
On the contrary, Brownlee is flirting with the idea of joining the China trip.
Gilas assistant coach Tim Cone admitted that the naturalized player has yet to decide whether to undergo operation to remove the bone spurs on his foot or join his Gilas teammates in the China tourney where they will face Lebanon, Iran and Senegal.
“He’s thinking of the team first, whatever we need from him, ” Cone told Daily Tribune in a Viber message.
“He’s still debating surgery. But we’ll know on Monday.”
Should Brownlee decide to undergo surgery, he has to do it as soon as possible to be able to recover before Gilas Pilipinas campaigns in the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou from 23 September to 8 October.
After all, the recovery period of bone spurs removal is around four to six weeks.
Aside from the Asian Games, Brownlee is also set to see action for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Commissioner’s Cup of the Philippine Basketball Association starting 15 October as well as the East Asia Super League Season 2 from October to March next year.
