PBA’s winningest coach Tim Cone of Barangay Ginebra has been tapped by long-time buddy Chot Reyes as part of the Gilas Pilipinas coaching staff for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

No less than Reyes himself confirmed the news during his acceptance speech as Coach of the Year in the PBA Press Corps Awards night at the Novotel Manila Araneta Center.

This will be the fourth time Cone and Reyes will work together.

Reyes served as deputy coach of Cone from 1990 to 1992 before the former assumed the role as head coach of Coney Island of the old Purefoods franchise in 1993 where he won his first championship.

In 1998, Cone became head coach of the Philippine Centennial Team that won the gold medal in the William Jones Cup and a bronze medal in the Asian Games.

When Reyes became head coach of the Philippine team from 2005 to 2007, he tapped Cone to become his deputy when the team was competing in exhibition games in the United States.

In the 2023 World Cup, both coaches will join forces as Gilas Pilipinas beefs up the coaching staff.