THERE'S a big chance that Kai Sotto will be joining the Gilas Pilipinas pool for its coming campaigns both here and overseas this year.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio bared on Tuesday that the inclusion of the 7-foot-3 center in the national team pool has been part of the discussions as the federation lays out its plans for the rest of 2021.
"He's part of the list so we just have to talk to him and reach out to him again," the SBP executive said.
Sotto was supposed to play for Gilas in the third window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers last February before a spike in COVID-19 pandemic derailed those plans.
The 18-year-old returned to the US when those plans were scrapped, but ultimately decided to mutually part ways with his NBA G League team Ignite.
Panlilio pointed out that Sotto is still very much a part of Gilas' future, and it would be a treat for the SBP to have him in the seniors' team's buildup this early.
Onus is now on SBP to provide the plans for Sotto for his potential participation in the team's preparations.
"Once we (lay out the plans), we have to share it with him what the plan is and align it with the others," he said.
"He's welcome to join us and he's very much a part of the pool."
Gilas is looking at joining the 46th season of the PBA while also preparing for the third window of the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup qualifiers which was rescheduled to June, the Fiba Olympic Qualifying Tournament set in Belgrade in July, and the 2021 Fiba Asia Cup in Indonesia come August.
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