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Once deemed no longer fit to play, Mike Phillips relishes Gilas callup

Sports | Basketball

Once deemed no longer fit to play, Mike Phillips relishes Gilas callup

By Reynald I. Magallon

At A Glance

Mike Phillips just couldn't help but look back to the moment when the doctor told him he might no longer be able to play basketball after suffering five brain injuries in the past.

Mike Phillips just couldn’t help but look back to the moment when the doctor told him he might no longer be able to play basketball after suffering five brain injuries in the past.

Fast forward to the present time, he is now set to make his Gilas Pilipinas debut and play in the third window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

And naturally for someone who had to overcome such setbacks — not too mention the lengthy work of appealing local status in the FIBA-sanctioned events, Phillips has nothing but gratitude.

“Masaya po ko na kasama ako sa gilas ngayon kumbaga maraming full circle moment sa buhay ko ngayon,” said Phillips in a press conference before the national team’s open practice at the FilOil Sports Centre Arena in San Juan.

“Naalala ko lang yung sinabi ng doctor ko na dati after I had five brain injuries, sabi ng doctor ko baka di ka na makapaglaro ng basketball after this and ngayon makakapaglaro po ako para sa bansa natin,” he revealed.

Phillips immediately showed what he can bring to the table for Gilas during the team’s 3-on-3 scrimmages, displaying his athleticism and superb locomotor skills that earned him the nickname ‘motor Mike’.

Having gone through a lot just to don the country’s tri-colors in official FIBA events, Phillips vowed to do everything he could to help the team

“Yung dahilan ko bakit ako nandito ay si God po, only by the grace of God,” stressed Phillips.

‘Yung pagkakataon na iyon po is malaking blessing po talaga and gusto ko po talaga sulitin ang pagkakataon na iyon at tutulungan ko talaga yung team kahit papaano,” he added.

Related Tags

Mike Phillips Gilas Pilipinas

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