CHOT Reyes’ dream Gilas Pilipinas squad for the 2023 Fiba World Cup was perfectly planned five years ago.
Until it wasn’t.
READ: Chot Reyes breaks down Gilas rotations and player choices in Fiba World Cup
Reyes once had a ’23-for-23’ player pool for Gilas' home World Cup featuring up-and-coming young prospects who, it was hoped, would be ripe enough to represent the host nation in five years' time.
The player pool emerged on January 5, 2018 — exactly five years, seven months, and 21 days before Gilas played its tournament opener at the Philippine Arena against Dominican Republic.
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In the end, only four made it to the final World Cup lineup (Edu, Perez, Ramos, Sotto) while two were part of the original 24-man pool (Ravena, Tamayo).
With an average height of 6-foot-5, average age of 20, 12 UAAP stars, six NCAA aces, and five foreign-based talents back in 2018, meet the 23 young cagers and where they are now since being named to Reyes' dream list.
FOREIGN LEAGUES (9 players)
Nine players still found themselves on the world stage after their inclusion in the 23 for '23 list, albeit in different ways.
KAI SOTTO - Hiroshima Dragonflies (Japan B. League)

Kai Sotto was among many rising stars who had their names cast in stone as the future of the national team. He was, indeed, one of four 23 for '23 players who eventually made it to the World Cup roster.
Limited minutes became an issue for Sotto during the World Cup, but he will be expected to see much more when he plays for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in the Japan B. League.
The 7-foot-3 big man signed a contract extension with the Dragonflies just a month before the above-mentioned whirlwind of pre-World Cup events unfolded.
AJ EDU - Toyama Grouses (Japan B. League)

From an extension deal to a brand-new contract, Sotto's fellow Gilas star AJ Edu put pen to paper on a one-year deal with Japan's Toyama Grouses — marking the start of his pro career overseas.
The Fil-Cypriot, who finished eighth in World Cup rebounds after the group stages (fourth in defensive rebounds), dealt with a series of right knee and leg injuries in 2019 and is now keen to begin a new chapter as a new hometown hero.
DWIGHT RAMOS - Levanga Hokkaido (Japan B. League)

Gilas' ever-reliable 'low-key and no-drama guy' Dwight Ramos had a statement run at the World Cup, offering a handful of bright spots in a rather dimly lit global stint for the nationals.
And two months before the global showpiece, Ramos also signed a one-year contract extension with Levanga Hokkaido to kickstart his redemption run in Japan.
This, despite coming off an injury-plagued rookie year where he missed 19 games after a right ankle sprain. Moreover, the Fil-American ace also supposedly dealt with right knee issues in Gilas' World Cup training camp before delivering a scintillating run of games.
THIRDY RAVENA - San-en NeoPhoenix (Japan B. League)

Reyes made four 'deepest cuts' to the Gilas pool to complete the Final 12 for the World Cup. Thirdy Ravena was one of them.
Nonetheless, Thirdy's tag as a leading Filipino trailblazer in foreign pro leagues will still hold true ahead of his fourth season with San-en NeoPhoenix.
Like Ramos, Ravena faced injury woes in his rookie year after suffering a finger fracture but was subsequently given a multi-year contract extension.
CARL TAMAYO - Ryukyu Golden Kings (Japan B. League)

From Gilas' 21-man World Cup pool, Carl Tamayo was the first name to be taken off the list after begging off from national team duties due to a knee injury.
A week prior to this decision, however, the former UP Fighting Maroon made history in winning the 2022-23 Japan B. League title in his rookie year with the Ryukyu Golden Kings.
Although his Gilas stint wasn't meant to be, Tamayo will be keen to rejoin Ryukyu in its upcoming title retention bid against his fellow Filipino imports.
ROBERT BOLICK - Fukushima Firebonds (Japan B. League)

To say that Robert Bolick traversed a rocky road to Japan is quite the understatement.
From his PBA contract expiration to nearly being stuck in a ligang labas fiasco, Bolick eventually found the yellow brick road to the Fukushima Firebonds where he was given a grandiose 'royal treatment.'
Bolick's reported Japan contract covers a 'two-year deal worth $35,000 a month with a player option for the second year.'
JUAN GOMEZ DE LIAÑO - Seoul SK Knights (Korean Basketball League)

Among the 23 names in this list, no one embodies the name 'Mr. Worldwide' than Juan Gomez de Liaño.
From Dubai to Manila and Tokyo to Lithuania, Juan GDL took flight in various global stops for a series of 3x3 and 5x5 stints before finding his new home at the heart and soul of Korea.
GDL, relative to the current crop of Filipino imports, has the longest-running contract to date as he signed a hefty three-year deal with the Seoul SK Knights in the Korean Basketball League back in June.
REMY MARTIN - Keflavík IF (Iceland's Úrvalsdeild karla)

Remy Martin, 25, left a lasting mark and achieved quite an immense level of success in American college basketball as a US NCAA Division I champion with Kansas City in 2022.
Martin dished out 14 markers and four treys in the national championship game, making him the third Fil-American to win the prestigious tournament after UCLA's Raymond Townsend (1975) and Virginia's Kihei Clark (2019).
In the same year as his title run, he did try his luck at the NBA and scored a pre-draft workout with the Los Angeles Lakers but was eventually undrafted before landing in Iceland's top-tier pro league with Keflavík IF.
KEN TUFFIN - Wellington Saints (New Zealand NBL)

In terms of championship pedigree, Ken Tuffin found his place in his homeland's winningest team — 12-time New Zealand National Basketball League champions Wellington Saints.
The ex-FEU Tamaraw ace was an integral piece to the 2021 title-winning squad and went on to play two more seasons with the Saints.
In August, however, Tuffin expressed his intent to return to the Philippines and will be among the vast array of talent up for selection in the 2023 PBA Draft.
PBA (9 players)
Apart from the nine foreign-bound aces, another nine players from the 23 for '23 list are also making strides domestically in the PBA.
CJ PEREZ - San Miguel Beermen

In a tightly contested slugfest for Gilas' Final 12 at the World Cup, CJ Perez made the final cut.
However, his limited minutes were questioned by fans and critics anew — one that Reyes defended by citing squad's depth and performance of other aces in his position.
The two-time PBA scoring champion and Gilas' leading local scorer in the 2019 global showpiece now shifts his focus back to the Beermen's forthcoming Commissioner's Cup title charge.
ARVIN TOLENTINO - Northport Batang Pier

Arvin Tolentino has long been touted for the Gilas senior squad even before the World Cup.
Having represented the country as a Batang Gilas, the ex-Ginebra ace turned Northport standout was closest to playing for Gilas in the fifth window of the Asian Qualifiers for the global showpiece.
He might have been among the last cuts in that window, but Tolentino is ready to lead a Batang Pier side that no longer has the services of its former talisman Robert Bolick.
TROY RIKE - Northport Batang Pier

Fil-American big man Troy Rike's last outing in a Gilas shirt was a rather notable occasion — the infamous Philippines-Australia brawl.
He was, however, ended up on the 'nice list' as he was acknowledged for defending Australian cager Chris Goulding from further assaults in the melee.
Since that regretful night, Rike has participated in a couple of international 3x3 stints before joining Northport. He is still part of the Batang Pier despite taking a season-long leave of absence in 2022, and has a year left on his current contract which he must act upon soon.
ISAAC GO - Terrafirma Dyip

Like Rike, Isaac Go's last Gilas appearance was one to forget in 2022 when the Philippines ended its golden reign at the Southeast Asian Games to Indonesia.
Yet to don the national team colors since, the former Ateneo ace has locked in on his PBA comeback with Terrafirma after an 11-month layoff with a knee injury.
Go returns to action with the Dyip squad when the 2023 PBA Commissioner's Cup opens on November 5.
MATT NIETO - NLEX Road Warriors

Matt Nieto saw action for Gilas in various qualifying tournaments since being handpicked for the 23 for '23 team.
And although he wasn't tapped for the World Cup training pool, Nieto carried out an impressive start to his PBA career with NLEX and is in the middle of a three-year deal he signed in 2022.
ABU TRATTER - Magnolia Hotshots

Since his Asia Cup Qualifiers call-up in 2020, Gilas veteran Abu Tratter has been on the move in the PBA.
After less than a year with Converge, the ex-La Salle big man was traded to Magnolia alongside David Murrell for Adrian Wong and a first-round draft pick.
Joining the Hotshots is an opportunity described by Tratter as one that compels him to 'strive to be better.'
JAVEE MOCON - Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters

Javee Mocon is among the few players on this list who never had the chance to don a Gilas jersey since the inception of the 23 for '23 lineup.
The sixth overall pick in the 2018 PBA Draft did have a four-year stint with Rain or Shine before settling in with his current team Phoenix as a result of a multi-layered trade in 2022.
JJAY ALEJANDRO - Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters

From La Salle-Araneta to Mapua and National University, Jjay Alejandro has had an abundant array of experiences in the college basketball scene.
This, on top of being part of Reyes and TNT Katropa's title-winning squad in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup before moving on to Phoenix two years later.
JEO AMBOHOT - Converge FiberXers

Jeo Ambohot earned his college championship pedigree as the NCAA Season 97 Finals MVP with Letran alongside the likes of newly minted Gilas standout Rhenz Abando.
And shortly before his triumphant swan song, he was drafted third overall by Converge in the 2022 PBA Draft.
Ambohot continues to be a young gem for the FiberXers after a breakthrough start to his budding career in the pro ranks.
OTHERS (5 players)
May it be in another local pro or college league, 3x3 tilt, or free agency, the five remaining names in the 23 for '23 list also had their share of competitive play outside Gilas.
WILL GOZUM - College of St. Benilde Blazers (NCAA)

Reigning NCAA MVP Will Gozum held back on pursuing his pro career and opted to play his final year of eligibility with College of St. Benilde instead for Season 99.
He was already onboard with the MPBL's Quezon Huskers before a finger fracture cut his tenure short.
KEMARK CARIÑO - Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards (MPBL)

On the flip side, ex-Batang Gilas big man Kemark Cariño continued his MPBL career path with the Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards after brief stints in Japan, Malaysia, and the PBA D-League.
The 6-foot-8 standout has also competed in the Asean Basketball League with the Zamboanga Valientes earlier this year before his move to Nueva Ecija.
On Monday, it was announced that he was part of the pool for the coming PBA draft.
PAUL DESIDERIO - Manila Chooks! (Fiba 3x3)

Outside 5x5 competition, PBA retiree Paul Desiderio, whose career was dampened by a year-long ACL injury layoff and domestic abuse allegations, took on the 3x3 scene for the Manila Chooks! side in a couple of domestic and international tilts this year.
His two notable tournaments, the Ulaanbaatar Super Quest and 2023 Fiba 3x3 World Tour Manila Masters, ended with seventh- and tenth-place finishes, respectively.
KOBE PARAS - Free agent

From the US NCAA and UAAP to the Japan B.League, Kobe Paras had a rollercoaster ride of a career thus far which currently lies at a standstill.
Nine months since signing for second-tier squad Altiri Chiba, a mutual agreement between both parties saw Paras' contract terminated back in March to leave him as a free agent as of posting time.
He was expected to enter the PBA draft this season, but there's no word coming out of the league at the moment.
JOSHUA SINCLAIR - Free agent

A resident member of Batang Gilas from Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu, Joshua Sinclair suffered a devastating injury as a college freshman when he tore an ACL.
The 6-foot-4 cager recovered but played meager minutes for National University in UAAP Season 81 before leaving the squad the following year.
Sinclair took his talents to the Western Sydney Basketball Association in Australia in which he played for three teams prior to becoming a free agent.
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