Kai Sotto to miss FIBA Asia Cup due to ACL recovery

Kai Sotto will miss the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah as he continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear sustained in January.

He expressed disappointment at not being able to play with Gilas Pilipinas but emphasized that his priority is a full and strong recovery.

Sotto will return to Japan to continue his rehabilitation, aiming to be stronger and avoid rushing his knee's recovery.

Despite his absence, Sotto remains a vocal supporter of the national team, wishing them well.

Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone stated that with Sotto, the national team would have had an opportunity to compete with anyone in the world.

Cone acknowledged that Sotto's absence "poses a lot of problems for the team" but still believes they can compete in the Asia Cup.