Filipino hoopers who play for the Japan B.League and KBL, however, are definitely out of the roster.
Newly installed Gilas Pilipinas coach for the Asian Games Tim Cone allayed concerns that Justin Brownlee might miss the Asian Games due to an undisclosed operation, telling members of the media in a press conference on Thursday that the naturalized standout is good to go.
“He's recovering still from his surgery, but he's back on the court,” Cone said of his resident import at Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. “We're assuming he's going to be 100% [for the Asian Games].”
Cone, who was announced as Gilas’ Asian games coach in the same press conference, also emphasized the critical role of Brownlee, noting how he and the rest of Gilas “really need him” because “he makes the people around him better.”
But therein lies the rub. It is unclear yet who these people will be, as the Gilas lineup for the quadrennial showpiece, set to start in September 23, is still largely unknown and unfinalized.
Cone admitted as much, though he did clarify who will definitely not be coming to China with him and Brownlee—the players with live contracts with the Japan B.League and KBL, which means no Dwight Ramos, Kai Sotto, AJ Edu, Kiefer Ravena, and Rhenz Abando. The status of Ange Kouame, another naturalized player who's among the names previously submitted to Asiad organizers, is still up in the air.
The winningest coach in PBA history, did mention the "usual suspects"—June Mar Fajardo, Scottie Thompson, and Japeth Aguilar—as potentially comprising the core of the next Gilas iteration that will attempt to win the Philippines’ first Asian Games medal in basketball since 1998.
That medal, incidentally, was won by the Centennial Team led by PBA legends Johnny Abarrientos and Alvin Patrimonio and coached by—you guessed it!—Cone.
(GM)