Tim Cone will be coaching the Gilas Pilipinas national men’s basketball in one of the windows of the FIBA World Cup 2023 Asian Qualifiers.
Gilas Pilipinas program director Chot Reyes said this after Cone, a 24-time champion coach in the Philippine Basketball Association, was included in the coaching staff of Team Pilipinas.
“We’re finding the right time and schedule for him to come to practice, as part of the coaching staff,” said Reyes, who talked about Cone’s inclusion during the 2022 Philippine Basketball Association Press Corps Awards Night held at Novotel Hotel Araneta City on Tuesday.
Reyes discussed Cone’ role following his acceptance speech as Coach of the Year.
Assistant coach Nenad Vucinic will be calling the shots during practice and in the coming game of Gilas in the third window in New Zealand and in the Philippines
That’s when the Philippines faces the New Zealand Kiwis in Auckland on June 30, and India on July 3 at the Araneta Coliseum.
This could mean that Cone could call the shots in August, November, or in February.
This is not the first time for Reyes and Cone to work together. They collaborated when they were still with Alaska and while with the 1998 Centennial Team.
Aside from Reyes, Cone, and Vucinic, the Gilas coaching staff now has Goldwin Monteverde, Jong Uichico, and Josh Reyes, too.
Talks on having Cone come aboard bore fruit last week following a meeting between San Miguel top exec Ramon Ang and PLDT chairman Manny Pangilinan.