Multi-titled American coach Tim Cone is the new head coach of Gilas Pilipinas.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) has announced that Cone, the winningest coach in the Philippine Basketball Association with 21 titles, will be calling shots for Gilas Pilipinas in the upcoming 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
“I spoke to Tim Cone last Saturday and he expressed interest but wanted to finish his game last night (Sunday) and talk to his family first,” said SBP president Al Panlilio told tv5.espn.com.
“Now I’m very happy to announce that coach Tim has officially accepted the role as head coach for Gilas Pilipinas Men in the upcoming SEA Games,” added Panlilio.
Panlilio said Cone has been permitted by San Miguel Corporation (SMC) President Ramon S. Ang and Sports Director Alfrancis Chua to handle the national team.
Cone is coaching the Barangay Ginebra Kings, one of the three SMC-owned teams in the PBA.
Cone, a two-time Grand Slam champion, replaced Yeng Guiao, who resigned after Gilas finished dead-last in the recent FIBA World Cup 2019 in China.
“I understand fully that, if I take the position, it’s just a stop-gap position. It’s not a commitment to the Gilas head coaching [job],” Cone said.
“It’s just that the SEA Games is coming in quick and they want someone to step up and do it. So, I could very easily be a one-and-done guy. Just go and coach the SEA Games, that’s it. And I understand that fully. And this, with me coaching, that will give them time to put their search committee together and find the guy they really want to coach [until], I guess, 2023. … And I’m perfectly OK with that,” he added. (Calvin Caguiwa)
