CHICAGO - It’s confirmed.
Kai Sotto will not play for Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming qualifying window for the 2027 Fiba World Cup, a source with knowledge of the situation told SPIN.ph.
READ Why Kai Sotto won't play in Gilas games vs Boomers, Tall Blacks
However, in a show of support to Gilas, Sotto “will arrive in Manila on Feb. 16 to spend three to four days for a personal break then rejoin his Japan team,” the source said.
The 7-foot-3 center’s absence is a brutal blow in a window where Gilas hosts two teams with the biggest lineups in the region in New Zeakand and Australia.
However, Sotto has just come out of a year-long layoff due to an ACL injury and is still in the process of regaining his confidence and form.
The hope is for Kai “to be able to come back strong and healthy for the next Gilas window,” the insider added.
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