Will Voigt to help Mighty, not fill Gilas’ coaching spot

Will Voigt. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Angola national coach Will Voigt cleared that he is focused on helping Mighty Sports get over the hump in the Dubai International Basketball Championships, and not to fill Gilas Pilipinas’ coaching vacancy.

“Again, I’m here for Mighty Sports,” he told reporters during the team’s sendoff dinner recently. “All my attention has been [here].”

Voigt is among the names that made rounds on social media following Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas’ announcement that it has began looking for an interim head coach for Gilas’ bid in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers where two windows will be played this February.

Voigt also tried to shut down speculations after being at Araneta Coliseum for Game 4 of the PBA Finals last Wednesday at the Big Dome.

“It’s been fun to go to the Finals, but that was not to meet with anybody in the Federation,” he said. “There wasn’t anything that was set up in advance, so I don’t want to lead the rumors.”

“I’m 100 percent” [in the country] “to help Mighty Sports,” he reiterated.

If anything, Voigt is no stranger to the Philippine basketball as he once applied for a TNT coaching post that is now handled by Mark Dickel.

He was also behind the 84-81 heartbreak Gilas absorbed in the recent FIBA World Cup in China.

Before that, he has also extended his hand to Phoenix in the past and even to Japeth Aguilar when he tried to shoot for the NBA dream.

Voigt has also had collaborative work with resident PBA imports Justin Brownlee and Allen Durham.

“I’ve always had kind of a special place in my heart for the Philippines,” he said.

That is exactly why he is also not slamming the door shut on such possibility.

“I’d love to be involved. That would be a wonderful opportunity,” he said.

Voigt said his contract affords him “some flexibility,” so a short-term stint should pose no complications.

“It won’t preclude me from being able to coach here, if the opportunity presents itself,” he said.