Chot Reyes says Gilas needs Kai Sotto ‘at least a month’ before Fiba World Cup

Kai Sotto will be very welcome to Gilas and he wants to play. But what’s keeping him from committing? —FIBA.COM

Chot Reyes minced no words in saying what Kai Sotto means to Gilas Pilipinas.

“No question that we need him,” Reyes was quick to tell the Inquirer over the phone on Sunday when asked to comment on online articles that quoted the 7-foot-3 beanpole reaffirming his commitment to play for the National team. “We’ve never had any problems with Kai as a person and as a player.”

The big question now is, what’s keeping Sotto from playing?

Gilas opens camp in the coming days as it prepares for the FibaWorld Cup the country will be cohosting with Indonesia and Japan starting late August and when asked about the minimum requirement of what he said was “total commitment” to the team, Reyes said that “there’s nothing hard and fast. But anyone has to be with us six weeks, a month before the tournament, at the very least.”

Sotto has been reported to be set to take part in several NBA team camps in the coming months as the former Ateneo high school star keeps chasing his dream of becoming the first homegrown Filipino to make it to the NBA.

And that would be cutting it too close if he wants Gilas inclusion in August.

‘I never said no’

Sotto told Noli Eala on an episode of Power and Play that he remains committed to the Philippine men’s basketball team program, amid the speculations of missing the World Cup.

“First of all, I never said no to represent my country. I’ve been playing for my country ever since I was 14 years old,” Sotto said in a clip posted by Eala. “I don’t get about what other people say about me not wanting to join. I’m not trying to listen to it.

“I never said no to play for my country because that’s my dream ever since I started playing basketball,” Sotto went on. “My top two dreams: make it to the NBA and represent the national team.”

Big question

FILE–Hiroshima Dragonflies’ Kai Sotto. Photo from B.League

But people are asking questions why Sotto wasn’t on the Gilas team that played the last window of the Asia World Cup Qualifiers last February, this despite being in the country coming from Adelaide in Australia.

The 21-year-old big man is reportedly set to take part in the NBA Summer League in July.

Gilas played Lebanon and Jordan last February and Sotto reportedly left for Japan to sign a contract to play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the B.League the day that window opened, opening speculations about his management team not coming to terms with the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

All Gilas candidates playing in the B.League at that time reported for camp, according to Reyes, who said that “it’s a rule in that league that they (imports there) cannot be prevented from playing for their national teams.”

Sotto has signed a fresh contract with Hiroshima for the 2023-24 B.League, which has an opt-out clause in case the Filipino fulfills his ultimate goal of cracking an NBA lineup.

Getting confirmation from Kai Sotto is important for Reyes and his staff, as they can decide on which naturalized player they will tap.

In the meantime, young AJ Edu has committed to play and Ange Kouame will be available as a big man, but as a naturalized player, the same status that Jordan Clarkson and Justin Brownlee hold.