2023 is a huge year for Gilas Pilipinas.
We are now in the year 2023 — the same year when Gilas Pilipinas gets to play at the FIBA World Cup on home soil. Of course we’ve got a bunch of wishes for the team that will represent this basketball-crazy country at the game’s most prestigious tournament. Coming into the competition, here are a few things that we really want to see happen for Gilas Pilipinas.
Good momentum going into the FIBA Worlds
We want a Gilas Pilipinas that’s teeming with confidence at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. For that to happen, they must have a good showing in the final home-and-away games before the main event. In February at the Philippine Arena, we want to see Gilas sweep the 6th window against Jordan and Lebanon or at the very least, show significant improvements in all facets of their game.
The best players in the country suiting up
We want to see the twin towers of Kai Sotto and June Mar Fajardo in the final Gilas roster. We want Scottie Thompson and Robert Bolick man the Gilas backcourt. In short, we want to see the Philippines’ best cagers able and ready to play for the men’s national basketball team.
Lock in Jordan Clarkson
Playing the best basketball of his nine-year NBA career, Jordan Clarkson is averaging 20.3 points and 4.5 assists a night for the Utah Jazz. Kuya JC really looks like he’s in his prime right now. What we want is to get an assurance that this prolific NBA scorer, at his physical peak, is a lock to suit up for Gilas at the FIBA Worlds.
Justin Brownlee in a Gilas uniform
We did say we want Kuya JC to be Gilas’ naturalized player for the World Cup. But we also want Justin Noypi to complete his naturalization process ASAP. Aren’t you excited to find out whether or not his awesome play with Ginebra would translate seamlessly for Gilas? Come on, sign him up for the February windows.
More wins at the FIBA World Cup
It all boils down to the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. And our final wish is for Gilas Pilipinas to get multiple wins in this global tourney. Just imagine how the entire nation would react to a hard-fought Gilas victory against a powerhouse team. It’ll be one for the books, without a doubt. What more if they pull it off more than once?