GILAS Pilipinas coach Tim Cone is not totally closing the door of Japeth Aguilar returning to the national team despite his decision to retire from the national team.
Cone said the Barangay Ginebra center is still on call for the national squad if needed.
However, the recent developments with the Gilas Pilipinas’ big man rotation – with Kai Sotto expected to recover from his ACL injury during the next FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian Qualifiers window on February and the entry of Quentin Millora-Brown, may have made Aguilar's retirement for good, finally.
READ: Gilas sends off Japeth Aguilar with 24-point home win over Guam
Cone admitted he has asked Aguilar countless times to go back to the national team.
“It just brings back the idea of how much he has contributed over the years, thinking this is the last one. But he has played so many years. As I told him, his wife Cassie, when she sees my wife, she always tells my wife, ‘Can you please allow Japeth to retire so that he can spend more time with his kids and focus on his Ginebra career?’” Cone said.
“And I keep saying no. I’ve said no for the last two or three years. But with Kai (Sotto) coming back, hopefully, in February, there’s a chance that now, we can let Japeth retire.”
Aguilar had three points in 10 minutes as a starter in Gilas Pilipinas’ 95-71 win over Guam on Monday night at the Blue Eagle Gym.
Cone said that Aguilar remains a vital cog for Gilas Pilipinas even at aged 38, and sees him as possibly still playing for the national team during spot situations.
“But the bottom line also, he is still on call,” Cone said.
“Something happens to one of our bigs and we need another big to step in, we will continue to call him because he is a freak of nature. At 38 years old, he still jumps out of the gym. He still plays at an extremely high level. He knows that if we need him, he will come back and help us out. But for now, he’s ready to retire,” he continued
“He’s going to be like Muhammad Ali, maybe. Come back, retire, come back, come back, retire. Who knows?"
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