Kai Sotto, AJ Edu back together again for Gilas Pilipinas after 3-year wait

TWIN TOWERS. Kai Sotto (right) and AJ Edu in action for Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. FIBA The fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers where Gilas Pilipinas will host Iran and Jordan marks the first time that Kai Sotto and AJ Edu are both available since Tim Cone took over as head coach Kai Sotto and AJ Edu reunite for Gilas Pilipinas after three years, crucial for upcoming FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers against Jordan and Iran. Both players have overcome injuries that sidelined them from the national team, with Edu missing much of 2024 and Sotto injured in 2025. Head coach Tim Cone expresses excitement about their return, highlighting their complementary playing styles and the added versatility to the team's frontcourt. This is AI-generated. Read the article for full context. Report any errors. MANILA, Philippines – Good friends and longtime frontcourt partners Kai Sotto and AJ Edu link up for Gilas Pilipinas for the first time in three years. And their reunion could not have come at a more crucial time as the Nationals face a must-win situation in back-to-back home games against Jordan and Iran in the fourth window of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers on August 28 and 30, respectively, at the Mall of Asia Arena. Sotto, 24, and Edu, 26, last played together in the national team during the Philippines’ co-hosting of the 2023 FIBA World Cup before injuries sidelined them out one after the other. Lingering knee issues kept Edu out of national team action for much of 2024, and just as he was set to return, Sotto suffered a knee injury in 2025. “It’s been a while. The last time was the World Cup that we played together, that’s three years ago,” said Edu. “Thankful we’ve both kind of overcame our injuries and we’re both healthy now. Definitely excited to share the court with Kai again.” But even if it has been years since they last donned the national colors together, Sotto and Edu — who both play as imports in the Japan B. League — have kept in touch. When Sotto sustained his injury, he reached out to Edu for advice, turning to his close pal who knew what it meant to endure the long, difficult road back. “It was a huge challenge when I got injured, but I’m incredibly thankful to God for guiding me through it and to all the people who helped me along the way. AJ was one of them. He was one of the people I often turned to after I got injured because he went through the same thing,” said Sotto in Filipino. For head coach Tim Cone, having Sotto and Edu back together is a big relief, especially after an initial shortage of big men forced veteran June Mar Fajardo to delay his planned retirement from the national team. Cone tapped Fajardo for what could be his last two Gilas Pilipinas games as the team is without Quentin Millora-Brown and Mike Phillips. “I’m real excited about that. Those guys, they complement each other, I think, very well. I think it’s fun,” said Cone, who will have both Edu and Sotto available for the team for the first time since he took over as head coach in 2024. “You add June Mar to the mix and we’ve got a real good big man rotation. AJ and Kai are both versatile enough to play the four position, so it gives us a little bit of versatility in our frontline.” – Rappler.com How does this make you feel? Loading