Clarkson or Brownlee? Gilas still undecided on naturalized player for FIBA World Cup
BOCAUE, Bulacan — Gilas Pilipinas head coach Chot Reyes and the rest of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) will continue to mull over who to choose as their naturalized player for the 2023 FIBA World Cup in August.
Utah Jazz point guard Jordan Clarkson looks to be the favorite to get the spot, but Reyes was quick to shoot down any certainty that the former NBA Sixth Man of the Year will indeed play for the Philippines in the World Cup.
Especially after Justin Brownlee's impressive outing in the final window of the Asian Qualifiers, punctuated by a 41-point explosion in the loss against Jordan, Reyes said there are still no final plans on who gets to don the Gilas jersey.
"Well, first of all, with Justin's performance, there's little to say. You all saw how effecitve Justin is and how well he played. As regards who the nautralized player is, Justin has always known that he makes himself available for whatever is required by the team. If we need someone to play in specific tournaments, if we need someone to play as a back-up for Jordan Clarkson, he's willing to play that role," said Reyes after the game against Jordan on Monday.
"Having said that, there are no shoo-ins in the team. There's no one with a lock, and that goes for everyone. So right now, there are no shoo-ins. That goes for all the local players, and even the naturalized players," he continued.
Reyes even said that they are also not closing the door on finding another naturalized player for Gilas, not only for the World Cup but also for other tournaments.
As Kai Sotto remains uncertain for the near future with his Japan B. League stint, Reyes said there is much left to be desired in terms of height in Gilas' current pool of players.
"We have another naturalized player, right? We have Ange Kouame, and we're not ruling out the possibility of even going out and looking for another 6-10, 6-11 guy," said Reyes.
"With all the uncertainty surrounding the Kai Sotto situation, if he's not gonna make himself available, then I think we have to think about that as well. I mean, that's just part of all of the planning that's on our plate right now."
Reyes will be taking a brief leave from his Gilas duties as he shifts his focus to his role as TNT head coach in their upcoming stint in the East Asia Super League from March 1 to 5.
After returning fromm the pocket tournament, Reyes said that the coaches and the SBP will be able to start planning ahead for the upcoming tournaments and the World Cup.
First on Gilas' plate after the qualifiers is the 32nd Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia this May.
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