With NCAA career on hold, Kobe Paras focuses on Gilas

Kobe Paras speaks during the send-off for the Philippine 3x3 team.
Richard Esguerra, ABS-CBN Sports

MANILA, Philippines – After several stints with the country's youth basketball teams in various international tournaments, Kobe Paras will get his first chance to play for the senior team in the 2017 FIBA 3x3 World Championships in France that starts this week.

Not only that: Gilas Pilipinas coach Chot Reyes recently announced that Paras has been included in the national team pool, making it possible for Paras to play in either the Southeast Asian Games or the FIBA Asia Cup in August.

These are opportunities that Paras eagerly embraced, especially as it comes at a time when his collegiate basketball career has been put on hold.

The former La Salle Greenhills standout had transferred out of Creighton at the end of the NCAA season and just recently announced that he will now be playing for the CSUN Matadors. Per NCAA rules, he will have to sit out a year before being allowed to suit up for Reggie Theus' team.

"I was excited," Paras said of his inclusion to the Gilas pool. "Ever since I was a kid, I was watching them, parang sila idol Calvin (Abueva). 'Yung last na FIBA Asia na nag-host tayo (in 2013), I was watching every game just because of the atmosphere and the players. I looked up to every one of those guys."

"So I'm just happy to be a part of it," he added. "All the hard work and everything that I've put in it… Kasi I started representing the country when I was 15."

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