Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) program director Chot Reyes confirmed to the media that Kai Sotto would not be joining the team as they compete against the top basketball teams in Asia.
"Mukhang wala na. He has decided to do some other thing and forego the Fiba Asia Cup," Reyes said.
The absence of the 7-foot-3 center from the national team is a big loss for the team, which has suffered some beatings from other top teams in the world as of late.
Without Sotto on the roster, Gilas must find ways to contain the bigger and taller teams in Asia, such as China, Australia, and Iran.
The chance for Sotto to join the team in Indonesia was earlier reported after Sotto himself, through his agent, said that he would play for Gilas after he gets snubbed in the 2022 NBA draft.
However, Sotto changed his mind, saying that he is open to playing in the ongoing NBA summer games instead of playing for Gilas.
As of this writing, no NBA team has yet to sign Sotto to their summer league roster. (Romeo Braceros, Jr.)
Kai Sotto FIBA Asia Cup 2021 Qualifiers highlights