CHICAGO - Gilas Pilipinas convenes this February 16 to prep for the upcoming FIBA window, they'll have to do so without their best, most important player.
Kai Sotto is "unlikely" to attend the 10-day camp, the player's camp told me via text message on Sunday ahead of the summit set to take place at the in Pasig and at the Inspire Sports Academy in Laguna.
READ Sotto heralds comeback with a pair of B.League double-doubles
Gilas is still a loaded team, but minus the vastly improved Kai, our national team is hopelessly vulnerable.
Gilas without the 7-foot-3 center is like the Lakers without Luka or San Miguel Beer without June Mar Fajardo in the Philippine Cup.
GOOD BUT NOT WOW.
The 23-year old's potential absence is a devastating, if not fatal, blow to our 2027 World Cup bid while ending whatever faint hopes we have of qualifying to the 2028 LA Olympics.
Although Kai's camp hasn't ruled him out from playing versus New Zealand (Feb. 26) and Australia (March 1), missing camp is crucial.
In this day and age, the rehearsal wedding is just as important as the wedding itself.
Time and time again, Sotto has been a loyal patriot, readily available for Gilas duty,
Unfortunately, his circumstances have changed dramatically when he tore the ACL on his right knee last January 2025.
PROCEEDING WITH CAUTION.
After being recently activated by the Koshigaya Alphas, Kai quickly went to work and averaged 10 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists per in four games.
A minor ankle sprain, however, derailed his progress.
Which is probably the reason why his handlers believed, at least for now, that playing for Gilas instead of staying in Japan where his doctors can closely monitor him, may not be the best path.
The former Ateneo high school star has given us so much joy over the years, made us proud to be a Filipino.
If he needs time to heal fully so he can come back stronger than ever, we all need to rally behind him.
There will be more Fiba windows in our lifetime, but there is only one Kai Sotto, a national treasure we need to protect,
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