The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas is hoping to add current San Miguel Corporation sports director Alfrancis Chua as part of the Gilas Pilipinas program.

While the PBA executive has his share in helping the national team from behind the scenes, SBP president Al Panlilio said that it would be a huge boost for the national team to have Chua in the fold.

Panlilio revealed that the federation has been in talks with Chua in an effort to convince him to take a more active position with Gilas – similar to his role during the Nationals’ golden conquest during last year’s Asian Games where the PBA vice chairman served as the team manager.

“Tim (Cone) talks about fine-tuning the whole program and that's one of the things that we're looking at. I'm still talking to Alfrancis, he's been helping in the background but I want to sort of formalize him to be part of the program,” said Panlilio during the Gilas press conference at the TV5 Media Center on Wednesday, Nov. 13.

“Sana maulit yung Asian Games that he was here. Papasalamat din ako kay RSA (Ramon S. Ang) kung mangyari ulit yun. So we're talking to him, hopefully we can make him a big part of this also,” added the SBP chief.

Having Chua on the Gilas bench, whether from a management standpoint or being part of the coaching, couldn’t be more reassuring for Gilas head coach Tim Cone who is also joining the clamor for the Barangay Ginebra governor to join the national team.

“Al is Al. He’s, like I said, a special motivator whether from management point or by sitting on the bench added to the coaching. He’s just a tremendous motivator. I feel comfortable around him because I know he has my back all the time,” said Cone.

Even the players, according to Cone, would love to have Chua on the bench.

“The players trust him as well. He knows how to treat players, he knows how to, again I use that word motivate, but it also goes beyond that. He’s very relational with the players. I see that obviously with Ginebra, I see that with San Miguel and Magnolia as well,” added the veteran mentor.

Cone even went as far as giving Chua the most credit on Gilas Asian Games run, which ended the country’s 61-year drought, in highlighting the impact he could bring to the national team.

“His impact in the Asian Game in which we won the gold, I said in the past, he’s much more responsible in winning that gold than anybody else, including myself including Justin,” Cone said of Chua.

“He’s one of the huge reasons why we won that gold so I'm hoping that he’s gonna be on the bench come 21st (against New Zealand),” he added.