Coach Tim said he talked to Coach Chot before accepting the head coaching job at Gilas.
Chot Reyes and Time Cone have a lot of history between them. Aside from their battles in the PBA, both coaches have served the country multiple times. In fact, they have been head coaches and assistants for each other in the national team. Multiple times.
In the 1998 Philippine Centennial Team, for instance, Cone was the head tactician while Reyes was one of his deputies. In this year's FIBA World Cup, the roles were reversed. So, Cone has Reyes' full backing when the former returned as national team coach for the upcoming Asian Games.
"He (Tim) asked me about it, and I said go please. You are the best man for the job, that's why I'm very, very happy that he accepted because that's really for the best of the program and for the team," Reyes told One News' The Game.
In fact, Coach Chot revealed that he has been urging the PBA's winningest coach to take over the Gilas reigns even before.
"It's not the first time, way before, several instances I already was trying to convince him to be open to the idea of taking over for me. Several times when I was thinking of resigning or leaving the position, I had already spoken to him. Fortunately, this time, he said yes."
Reyes has nothing but praise for the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach.
"It was a dream to work with Tim. We bounce ideas, we argue, we debate. The good thing with Tim, he's not afraid to tell me his ideas, his thoughts, and I have a very open mind about it. He doesn't take offense as well when we do not take the direction that he is trying to put forward."
And their relationship goes beyond the court.
"More than that, it's the little things, having a friend to talk to when things get really rough. The little things that Tim does, not even basketball-related. We're walking buddies, we're golf buddies. For us to be able to do that for the past year was a dream."
Asked what his advice to Cone is, Reyes was detailed in his answer.
"Just to be his own man, to coach the game according to the way he sees it. According to the way he wants to. We share very, very similar values, but of course, tactically, strategically, there will be differences. He has to go and coach according to his instinct and according to his own experience. He has to coach according to his own way."
The Tim Cone way for Gilas, incidentally, starts now.
(MDB)