FILE –G League Ignite head coach Brian Shaw looks on during a G-League game against the Westchester Knicks at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on February 18, 2021. Photo by Mike Ehrmann / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — Head coach Brian Shaw would rather focus on what he has control over as far as Kai Sotto’s status with Ignite in the NBA G League is concerned.
The Filipino center has already missed half of Ignite’s season after leaving for the Philippines earlier this month to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers that got pushed back again due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sotto is likely to miss more games for Ignite as his return remains uncertain.
“I’m only concerned with the guys that we have here,” said Shaw during a media availability Tuesday (Manila time) after a 109-97 loss to the Long Island Nets as posted by nbacallups.com.
“When I hear otherwise from those above me, then we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it,” Shaw said.
Ignite, with Fil-American Jalen Green steadily emerging as its best player, opened its campaign with four straight wins but has slipped since, dropping three of its last four games.
The team’s recent struggles may have left Shaw with little to no room to focus on things beyond his reach.
“Right now, we have 12, 13 guys on our roster. So I’m just coaching the guys I have here.”