The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) is leaning towards hiring a European coach to handle Gilas Pilipinas.
Top honchos of SBP are considering hiring a European coach following the sterling showing of European teams in the recent FIBA World Cup 2019 that saw Spain and Argentina play for the championship and the former going on to win the crown.
Gilas Pilipinas finished last in the 32-team conclave and the dismal showing prompted coach Yeng Guiao to step down.
SBP is deviating from an NBA-oriented style in favor of a European brand of basketball, as per a report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“We will have to do it quickly. I don’t know if there’s a timetable. We have to do a search if ever for the new coach. It might be a local or it might be a foreign coach,” SBP president Al Panlilio said in a press conference.
“I think we should consider [a foreign coach]. If we wanna go European, we need somebody who knows the European system very well,” Panlilio added
Tab Baldwin, Chot Reyes and Tim Cone are being mentioned as possible candidates for the head coaching job.
SBP chairman emeritus Manny V. Pangilinan has just returned from Beijing, China where he formally accepted the hosting rights for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia.
