The Philippines’ hopes of a FIBA World Cup title have been doused, but Filipinos all around the world have many reasons to be excited for the future of international basketball.
Gilas Pilipinas – the Philippines’ national basketball team – was officially eliminated from World Cup contention Tuesday after losing to Italy, 90-83. The Filipinos needed to win the game by at least 12 points to move on to the second round.
Gilas’ first matchup of the World Cup came against the Dominican Republic, who were led by Minnesota Timberwolves forward and center Karl-Anthony Towns. The Dominicans won by a final score of 87-81. Towns scored a game-high 26 points and pulled down 10 rebounds in the victory.
As Filipino-Americans, my family and I are extremely proud to see talent from our home country and abroad representing Filipinos on the global stage. Gilas also didn’t just appear on the global stage, they competed.
Losing to Italy and the Dominican Republic by a combined total of 13 points is almost unheard of for Gilas. In the 2019 FIBA World Cup, Gilas lost four games by 19 or more points, one of them ending in a 59-point defeat.
The improvement of Filipino basketball was very apparent in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Kai Sotto, a 7-foot-3 center from Las Piñas, Philippines, appeared in all three games and averaged 4 points and 3 rebounds. Sotto is also Gilas’ youngest player at 21 years old and has already cemented himself as a cornerstone for the future of Filipino basketball.
Before the World Cup, Sotto also made appearances for the Orlando Magic in the NBA’s annual Summer League play. He has yet to sign with an NBA team for the beginning of the 2023-2024 season.
The brightest spot of Gilas’ World Cup showing was the performance of Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. Clarkson, a 6-foot-5 Filipino-American, joined Gilas in early August after years of waiting for the result of his eligibility status.
Clarkson led Gilas in points (24 PPG) and assists (6.7 APG) in three games. He was the catalyst of the Philippines’ ability to compete with top tier talent.
It truly is amazing and an honor to watch a fellow Filipino-American excelling in both the NBA and in the World Cup. Filipinos around the world have and will continue to admire Clarkson and more Filipino NBA players that decide to represent the Philippines in international play.
Because of Clarkson and Sotto’s ties to the NBA, superstar talent joining Gilas has become a real possibility.
Houston Rockets shooting guard and former No. 2 overall pick Jalen Green is also a Filipino-American. Green’s athletic ability and shooting touch could prove lethal for a Gilas team that desperately needs more scoring options than Clarkson. If Green applies for eligibility now, he could join the Philippines’ roster for the next World Cup.
Gilas Pilipinas is out of World Cup contention for now, but 2023 proved that this team is on the rise and could be an international powerhouse come 2027.
