By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Young hoop sensation Lebron Lopez just joined the current 2022 Gilas Pilipinas roster headed by coach Chot Reyes after getting another Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) call up in preparation for the upcoming FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers.
Initially, the 18-year-old Filipino star was supposed to grace the Overtime Elite league in the United States but visa issues barred his plans.
Lopez is no stranger to the big stage of the FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers and was a former member of coach Tab Baldwin’s official roster that swept Korea in back-to-back showdowns.
Despite not getting to play against the mighty Korean squad, Lopez played against Indonesia and showed his athletic prowess on his way to eight points, five rebounds, one assist, one steal, and a block.
Lopez will also join his former teammates Jaydee Tungcab, Tzaddy Rangel, Juan Gomez de Liaño, Dwight Ramos, Thirdy Ravena, William Navarro, and Ange Kouame in Gilas’ current pool.
However, it is still unknown whether Lopez will be able to make the final cut for the official roster and represent the Philippines against Korea, India, and New Zealand as he becomes the latest addition to the practice pool.
Several days ago, NorthPort Batang Pier’s superstar Robert Bolick also made his way into Gilas’ practice bubble and sacrificed his PBA games to grace the national team.
The national team will be playing on their home floor at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on February 24 against Korea, 25 against India, and New Zealand two days after.
