Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tim Cone is very vocal in saying how big of a game-changer Kai Sotto is when he is on the floor for the national team.

The 7-foot-3 center has been showing great progress in full recovery from a knee injury and could be available as early as the November window of the 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.

Sotto has already started non-contact workouts with his Japan B.League team, Koshigaya Alphas, ahead of their 2025-2026 season campaign set to roll in October.

The big man has also joined the team’s promotional events, a welcome sign for Cone and Gilas, which had a gaping hole in the middle during its failed attempt to end a four-decade title drought in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Sotto tore his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the Alphas in a 79–77 loss to the SeaHorses Mikawa last 5 January.

He went under the knife in the same month and has been working on his recovery since.

“I’m back in Japan, I can’t wait to see the fans of Koshigaya Alphas,” Sotto said in a promotional video clip posted by the Alphas.

“I’m going to continue doing my rehab and hopefully when I get ready, I’ll be back on the court with y’all, see you guys soon.”

Sotto’s personal strength and conditioning coach, Mel Lantin, told DAILY TRIBUBE that the 23-year-old Sotto is on track to get back in action.

“He’s well and recovering very good,” Lantin said in a short message.

“Hopefully, this good development continues.”

But Lantin admitted that Sotto’s availability for Gilas Pilipinas’ match against Guam to open the Asian qualifiers on 28 November will still depend on his progress in the coming couple of months.

“It will all depend on his doctors if they’ll clear him to play,” Lantin added.

Clips from Koshigaya’s social media showed Sotto doing some shooting drills.

“Back for another year,” Sotto wrote on his Instagram account.

But Sotto is not rushing his return and is working cautiously with his conditioning.

“I’m doing rehab to make sure I’ll come back stronger and for my knee to feel better than the previous days,” Sotto said.

“It feels good, but it’s not yet perfect. So, I can’t rush my recovery.”