AS it stands, interim Gilas head coach Tim Cone has yet to be asked the million dollar question after a golden run at the Asian Games.
Cone reflected on the prospect of permanently leading the national team from here on out, saying he has had discussions about it with SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua but not with officials from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
READ: Cone confirms Ginebra bringing in Tony Bishop as interim import
"I’m not so sure about that yet. You know, doing the Asian Games was a simple answer because it was finite and this is what we were gonna do from here to here," said Cone in an interview with CNN Philippines.
"Doing it long-term (coaching Gilas) is a lot more complex. It’s a much more complex question and deserves a more complex answer which I don’t have at this point," he added.
The longtime Ginebra mentor looked back at his 'one-and-done' stint for Gilas back in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, which he said was a lot easier to commit to like the stand-in job at the Hanszhou Asiad.
"It was basically just like the Southeast Asian Games in 2019 where I was designed as a one-and-done person," said Cone. "I was just the guy that was gonna do the job because they needed someone at that point. Then after it was done, they were going to do a full search and look for whoever they needed to do the program."
Gilas post up for consideration?
In terms of his personal considerations, Cone did admit to having talks with Ginebra team manager Chua but reiterated that nothing is set in stone with regards to his Gilas future.
"It’s just so many things, you know. Where’s the program going? How is it going to go? I think these are the things which I had private conversations with Alfrancis (Chua) about.
"But there’s been really no movement yet from the SBP in terms of getting together and deciding which direction we’re all gonna go. I think that’s still in discussion amongst the SBP leaders," Cone said.
"At this point, I really don’t have an answer for you. At this point, there hasn’t really been a question for me. It’s not an answer that I have to give at this point."
'Ginebra's my baby'
With an eighth PBA championship for Ginebra in his sight, it goes without saying that the Gin Kings remain his top priority coaching-wise moving forward.
"We were able to do what we needed to do in Hangzhou and that was the job at the time. Now, that job is done and I’m kind of getting famous for it. But you know, the idea of landing one plane at the time. We landed that plane in Hangzhou and now we’re on to landing the new plane that’s coming in to Ginebra," said Cone.
"I’ve said it before, Ginebra’s my baby and I’m excited to get back. I wish I’d been back a little earlier but I’m ready to get on Monday and move forward with it," he added.
The Gin Kings' Commissioner's Cup preparations begin on Monday, with interim import Tony Bishop joining the team in lieu of Justin Brownlee's jeopardized playing status amid a flunked doping test at the Asian Games.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
