Kai Sotto will reunite with Gilas Pilipinas on Monday as the 7-foot-3 National Basketball Association hopeful begins his tour of duty for the coming FIBA World Cup.
After seeing action for the Orlando Magic in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Sotto returned to Manila last Wednesday suffering from back spasms.
He showed up during Gilas’ training session but was advised not to dress for practice to expedite his recovery.
Sotto likewise skipped Friday’s workout and his father, former player Ervin, said the break gave his son precious time to rest.
“His back is still hurting,” Sotto said.
Jong Uichico, one of the assistant coaches of Gilas, is thrilled to see Sotto back ahead of the coming World Cup.
“It’s good to see him come to the (tuneup) game,” added Uichico in a Viber message.
While Gilas may have resolved the issue with the 21-year-old Sotto, it is still in the process of finalizing a deal with Jordan Clarkson as the host country attempts to make waves in the 25 August to 10 September cagefest.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio said in a Viber message that he hasn’t met Sotto yet, but disclosed that they’re now “finalizing” the details of Clarkson’s much-awaited arrival.
Clarkson, who previously committed to the SBP that he’ll join the training six weeks before the start of the big event, is already two weeks behind his proposed arrival.
Gilas team manager Butch Antonio said that the SBP is going to make an announcement soon on Clarkson’s arrival and when will he rejoin the training pool.
Head coach Chot Reyes had earlier said they’re giving all the players until 25 July or exactly a month before the World Cup, to get on board.
The aspirants are wrapping up their next few days of training sessions here before flying to China on 1 August to play in a mini-pocket tournament against the national squads of Lebanon, Senegal and Iran from 2 to 6 August.
After that, the Philippine team will return and play against the first few national teams that are touching down in Manila.
Even the Philippine Basketball Association is lending a hand to the national cause by offering squads to engage Gilas in tuneup matches.
