Big man Kai Sotto is the new kid on the block who isn’t entirely new. And he figures to be the sun of the Gilas Pilipinas ecosystem in Window 4 of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.
Kai Sotto, the Centerpiece
The 7‑foot‑3 Japan B.League veteran made a surprise return to the national team in time for the fourth window, and it couldn’t have come at a better time as Gilas Pilipinas’ main man, naturalized reinforcement Justin Brownlee, won’t be playing against Jordan and Iran. Naturally, head coach Tim Cone, who has time and again emphasized the value of having Kai Sotto, is relieved to have him back. And he believes the towering lefty will cause the Falcons and Team Melli fits.
“We think he’s going to cause problems for both teams, and he’s going to make the team around him better,” Cone said of Sotto on Monday in Gilas Pilipinas’ presser. “He’s just a great addition and we’re just really happy to have him.”
There’s evidence to suggest that Sotto makes Gilas Pilipinas better. With him around, the national team soared to great heights, even making history by beating Latvia in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Riga and New Zealand in Window 2 of the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 Qualifiers in Manila. Sotto was a major factor both times, posting 18 points and 8 rebounds against Latvia and recording 19 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 4 blocks against the Tall Blacks.
Gilas Pilipinas Relearning How to Play With Kai Sotto
With Brownlee sidelined, expect things to fully revolve around Kai Sotto. In fact, Cone himself admitted that Gilas will be building around the big man. That should be relatively easy given how Sotto has played with most of the national team’s core. Even so, the league’s winningest coach acknowledged it will be an adjustment nonetheless.
“He’s relatively, I don’t want to say new to the team, (but) he hasn’t been with us for a couple of years so guys are still adjusting to his level of play. And we hope that that just continues over the next few days,” Cone pointed out.
The days are passing. Time is moving. A nation can only hope Kai Sotto is ready.
