MALAKI ang pusibilidad na mapabilang pa rin ang naturalized Pinoy na si Andre Blatche sa Gilas Pilipinas men’s basketball team na sasabak sa 2019 Fiba World Cup.
Ito ang sinabi ni SBP deputy executive director for international affairs Butch Antonio sa pagdalo nito sa Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) forum sa Shakey’s Malate kahapon. Kasama ni Antonio si SBP executive director Renauld “Sonny” Barrios.
“Let’s not take Andre (Blatche) out of the equation, he is still a Filipino,” sabi ni Antonio. “In fact after the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, we discuss everything and he promised to be with the team as much as it will not run in conflict should he able to make it back to the NBA.”
Nakataya sa 2019 Fiba World Cup ang silya para sa 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ayon kay Barrios, magpapatuloy pa rin ang Gilas program ng SBP. “We are now making plans on continuing with the Gilas program 5.0. We are looking at a hybrid or a mixture on non-PBA and PBA players,” dagdag pa ni Barrios.