Kai Sotto unlikely to join Gilas camp for Australia, NZ matches

CHICAGO, February 9 ------ 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. 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. 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.

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. 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.

Source: spin.ph