MANILA, Philippines -- Newly installed Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone claimed that big man Justine Baltazar has shown “zero interest” to play for the national team.
This, despite them trying to get the 6-foot-9 power forward “forever.”
“We have tried to get Balti [Baltazar] forever. He never is available,” Cone told reporters after the PBA press conference on Thursday.
“We tried to get him for the World Cup, we tried really hard to get him for the World Cup… He has shown us zero interest,” he added.
The Philippine team has been trying to acquire the former La Salle Green Archer for national team duty, with Cone saying Baltazar “one of the guys that we really desire.”
“But he is just not available,” Cone said.
Baltazar, who is currently playing for the Pampanga Giant Lanterns in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, has not responded to a message request from Philstar.com via Instagram as of posting time.
He earlier played for the national team for the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in Indonesia and the FIBA Olympic Qualifiers in Serbia.
The Philippine team is currently being formed for the Asian Games.
The tall frontline of the Gilas in the FIBA World Cup will be a bit depleted as 6-foot-10 AJ Edu and 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto are not expected to suit up due to commitments to their respective Japanese teams.
Six-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo and 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar are shoo-ins for the Philippine team, along with guard Scottie Thompson and naturalized player Justin Brownlee.
Cone earlier said they are eyeing to form a team full of two-way players for the Asiad.