The Philippines men's national basketball team (), commonly known as Gilas Pilipinas, is the
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...
team representing the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. The team is managed by the
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas () or the SBP is the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines, formed from the merging of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB).
It was formed ...
(Basketball Federation of the Philippines or simply SBP).
The team won a bronze medal in the
1954 FIBA World Championship
The 1954 FIBA Basketball World Cup, FIBA World Championship (also called the 2nd World Basketball Championship – 1954) was the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. It was held by the International Basketball ...
, the best finish by any team outside the Americas and Europe. In the Olympics, the team took a fifth-place finish at the
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...
, the best finish by a men's team outside the Americas, Europe and Oceania. The Philippines holds the record for
most games won at the Olympics among teams outside the Americas, Europe and Oceania.
Aside from the bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup and the fifth-place Olympic finish, the Philippines has won five
FIBA Asia Cup
The FIBA Asia Cup (formerly the FIBA Asia Championship and ABC Championship) is an international basketball tournament which takes place every four years between the men's national teams of Asia and Oceania.
Through the 2015 edition, the t ...
s (formerly known as the FIBA Asia Championship), five
Asian Games men's basketball gold medals, eight
SEABA Championships, all but three
Southeast Asian Games men's basketball gold medals, and has the most titles in
Southeast Asia Basketball Association men's championship, being considered the powerhouse team in
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
and one of
Asia
Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...
's elite basketball teams. The country has also participated in seven
FIBA World Cup
The FIBA Basketball World Cup is an international basketball competition between the senior men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport's global governing body. It takes place every four ye ...
s and seven
Olympic Basketball Tournaments.
History
Early years

The Philippines first participated in international basketball in the
Far Eastern Championship Games
The Far Eastern Championship Games (also known as the Far Eastern Championships, Far Eastern Games or Far East Games) was an Asian multi-sport event considered to be a precursor to the Asian Games.
History
In 1913, Elwood Brown, president of ...
in 1913. The Philippines defeated
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
in what was the first international game in Asia. The Philippines won all but one (1921) championship until 1934. The games were not under the supervision of
FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French language, French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the Basketball equipment ...
as the organization was founded in 1932.
The
Basketball Association of the Philippines
The Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) was the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) recognized national governing body for basketball in the Philippines. It was recognized by the FIBA in 1936 until 2007 when the Samahang B ...
(BAP) was founded in 1936, and became a part of FIBA later that year. Also in the same year, the BAP sent a team nicknamed "the Islanders" that participated in the first
Olympic basketball tournament in Berlin. With the tournament under a single-elimination round format from the third game onwards, the Philippines won their first three games only to face the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in their fourth game. The USA doubled the Philippines' score as they advanced to the next round, and subsequently win the gold medal undefeated. The Philippines wound up fifth place, winning the rest of their games, in the best finish by a men's Asian team in Olympic basketball history. Aside from silver medalists Canada, the Philippines was the only other team that only had one loss in the tournament.
The Philippines returned to the
1948 Olympics in London. The team finished fourth of six teams in their group to be eliminated. The team wound up in twelfth place.

In the 1950s–1960s, the Philippines was among the best in the world, producing world-class players like
Carlos Loyzaga
Carlos "Caloy" Loyzaga y Matute (August 29, 1930 – January 27, 2016) was a Filipino basketball player, coach and politician. He was the most dominant basketball player of his era in the Philippines and is considered as the greatest Filipino ba ...
,
Lauro Mumar
Lauro "The Fox" Mumar (March 6, 1924 – December 20, 1990) was a Filipino basketball player and later served as the national team head coach of India and the Philippines. He was one of the greatest Filipino players of his time, playing alongs ...
, Mariano Tolentino, Francisco Rabat and
Edgardo Ocampo. In 1951, team won the inaugural
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
basketball tournament in New Delhi, India. The team finished ahead of Japan and four other teams to win the gold medal. On the next Asian Games in 1954 in Manila that served as a qualifiers for the World Championship later that year, the team finished first anew, beating out the Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan and South Korea in the final round.
In
1954 FIBA World Championship
The 1954 FIBA Basketball World Cup, FIBA World Championship (also called the 2nd World Basketball Championship – 1954) was the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. It was held by the International Basketball ...
in Brazil, Loyzaga was a part of the Mythical Team selection, where the Philippines won the bronze medal. The Philippines finished second in their group behind Brazil and ahead of
Paraguay
Paraguay, officially the Republic of Paraguay, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
to enter the final round, where the team lost against the US by only 13 points; only the loss against the US and two losses against Brazil were the Philippines' only losses in the world championship. To date, the Philippines' performance remains the best performance by an Asian team in the World Championship.
In the
1956 Olympics, the Philippines finished seventh. The team qualified to the quarterfinals, with only loss against the USA. However, the team lost all of their games against France, Uruguay and Chile in the quarterfinals. The Philippines defeated Chile in the seventh-place game to finish with a 4–4 record. Two years later, in the
1958 Asian Games
The 1958 Asian Games, officially the Third Asian Games () and commonly known as Tokyo 1958 (), were a multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan, from 24 May to 1 June 1958. It was governed by the Asian Games Federation. A total of 1,820 athletes repr ...
in Tokyo, the Philippines won its third consecutive gold medal, finishing first in the final round.
The Philippines was grouped with Bulgaria, Puerto Rico and Uruguay in the
1959 FIBA World Championship
The 1959 FIBA World Championship was the 3rd FIBA World Championship—the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. It was hosted by Chile from 16 to 31 January 1959. Amaury Antônio Pasos was named the MVP.
The ho ...
. The team finished third, losing against Bulgaria and Puerto Rico, to crash out of the final round. The Philippines won all of the games in the classification round against the United Arab Republic (Egypt) and Canada to meet Uruguay for the eighth-place game. The team defeated Uruguay again to finish eighth. This would be the last tournament of Loyzaga and company.
Asian Championship
Starting in 1960, the
Asian Basketball Championship was held to determine Asia's participants in the Olympics and the World Championships. Qualifying for the Asian Championship was by subzone, or by the ranking in the most recent tournament; in this case, with the Philippines being the strongest team in Southeast Asia, the country will qualify easily for the continental championship, even if they failed to qualify via rankings from the previous tournament. The inaugural Asian Championship was held in
Manila
Manila, officially the City of Manila, is the Capital of the Philippines, capital and second-most populous city of the Philippines after Quezon City, with a population of 1,846,513 people in 2020. Located on the eastern shore of Manila Bay on ...
.
With an Asian Championship, the Philippines qualified for the
1960 Olympics The 1960 Olympics may refer to:
*The 1960 Winter Olympics, which were held in Squaw Valley, United States
*The 1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 19 ...
. In Rome, the Philippines did not qualify for the medal round, but did beat
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
in the preliminaries, ultimately finishing 11th out of 16 nations. The country was supposed to host the 1963 World Championship, but President
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal Sr. (; September 28, 1910 – April 21, 1997) was a Filipino lawyer, poet and politician who served as the 9th President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the 5th Vice President of the Philippines, V ...
refused to allow players from
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
and other communist countries to enter the country. This caused the Philippines, despite winning the Asian Championships, to qualify via a pre-Olympic tournament, in which they were unsuccessful.
[The politicization of Philippine basketball](_blank)
Retrieved on November 6, 2006.
In the fifth championship at
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, the Philippines finished third, after a one-point loss against Japan, and an 86–95 loss against
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
.
Creation of the Philippine Basketball Association
In 1975, after disputes with the
Basketball Association of the Philippines
The Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) was the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) recognized national governing body for basketball in the Philippines. It was recognized by the FIBA in 1936 until 2007 when the Samahang B ...
(BAP), nine teams pulled out of BAP's jurisdiction and founded the professional
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines, composed of twelve company-branded Franchising, franchise teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia ...
(PBA), taking along all the best players with them. This caused the BAP to send weakened teams in the subsequent international tournaments, as professionals are not allowed to play. The Filipinos fail to defend their Asian championship in 1975, with
India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
earning a shock blowout win to deny the Philippines a top-4 finish. The Chinese won the championship, beginning their unbeaten championship run that will last into 1983. The nationals were denied of a top 4 finish in the 1977 Asian Championship, losing this time to Malaysia. The Philippines then hosted the
1978 FIBA World Championship
The 1978 FIBA World Championship was the 8th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. The tournament was hosted by the Philippines from October 1 to 14, 1978 in Rizal Memorial Coliseum in ...
, losing all of the games via blowouts to finish last in the final round.
The NCC program (1980–1986)
To offset the loss of players of the PBA, the BAP delegated to businessman
Eduardo Cojuangco, Jr. the formation of a team that will train together for several months, in essence, a club team unaffiliated with any league. The result was the
Northern Cement basketball team coached by the American
Ron Jacobs that had four naturalized players. In the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, the team finished fourth behind Korea, China and Japan. In the
1983 Asian Championship in Hong Kong, the Philippines forfeited their preliminary round games after a misunderstanding in the rules that caused the Philippines to play more than one naturalized player on the floor at the time. The Philippines, without their naturalized players, made short work of the classification round to finish in ninth place. The Northern Cement team won the
1985 Asian Championship in
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur (KL), officially the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur, is the capital city and a Federal Territories of Malaysia, federal territory of Malaysia. It is the largest city in the country, covering an area of with a census population ...
, to qualify for the
1986 FIBA World Championship
The 1986 FIBA World Championship was the 10th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. It was hosted by Spain and was held from 5 to 20 July 1986. The final phase of the tournament was hel ...
in Spain.
On February 22, 1986, the
People Power Revolution
The People Power Revolution, also known as the EDSA Revolution or the February Revolution, were a series of popular Demonstration (people), demonstrations in the Philippines, mostly in Metro Manila, from February 22 to 25, 1986. There was a ...
erupted and forced president
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos Sr. (September 11, 1917 – September 28, 1989) was a Filipino lawyer, politician, dictator, and Kleptocracy, kleptocrat who served as the tenth president of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He ruled the c ...
into exile. Cojuangco, a known ally of Marcos, also left the country, causing the team not to participate in the World Championship. The team did participate in the 1986 Asian Games, finishing third behind China and Korea.
Professional era
In 1989,
FIBA
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA ; French language, French: ) is an association of national organizations which governs the sport of basketball worldwide. FIBA defines the rules of basketball, specifies the Basketball equipment ...
allowed professionals to play in their tournaments. This caused the BAP to have an agreement with the PBA in which the latter will form national teams for the Asian Games, while the former will do so in other tournaments. In the
1989 Southeast Asian Games
The 1989 Southeast Asian Games (), officially known as the 15th Southeast Asian Games, were a multi-sport event held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 20 to 31 August 1989 with 25 sports featured in the games. It was officially opened by 9th Yang ...
, the BAP-sponsored team coached by
Derrick Pumaren suffered a shock loss to
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
in the gold medal game, the only time the Philippines failed to win the gold medal at the
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with sup ...
in which basketball was played, until 2021 edition when they also settled again in silver medal.
In 1990, the Philippines sent an all-pro national team, coached by
Robert Jaworski, to regain the country's basketball supremacy in the
Asian Games
The Asian Games, also known as Asiad, is a continental multi-sport event held every four years for athletes of Asia. The Games were regulated by Asian Games Federation from the 1951 Asian Games, first Games in New Delhi, India in 1951, until ...
but the team lost in the final against
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
and settled for a silver medal. The team includes 1990 PBA Most Valuable Player
Allan Caidic and
Samboy Lim, who were both selected in the Asian Games Mythical Five Selections.
In the
1991 Asian Championship in
Kobe
Kobe ( ; , ), officially , is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. With a population of around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's List of Japanese cities by population, seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Port of Toky ...
, Japan, the Philippines finished second in their preliminary round group behind China, but a loss against Japan caused their elimination, ending up in seventh place, when
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
forfeited the game. In
1993
The United Nations General Assembly, General Assembly of the United Nations designated 1993 as:
* International Year for the World's Indigenous People
The year 1993 in the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands had only 364 days, since its ...
, the Philippines failed to qualify in the quarterfinal groups, suffering losses against Korea (five points) and the
UAE
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a federal elective monarchy made up of seven emirates, with Abu Dhabi serving as i ...
(four points) en route to an 11th-place finish.
In the
1994 Asian Games in
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 1,199,391. The gross domestic product (GDP) in Greater Hiroshima, Hiroshima Urban Employment Area, was US$61.3 billion as of 2010. Kazumi Matsui has b ...
, the Philippines, coached by the American
Norman Black, sent in a team composed of PBA players and selected amateurs. The team finish second in the preliminary round, losing to Korea. The loss to Korea meant that the Philippines has to face China; despite losing, the Chinese had their slimmest winning margin in the tournament with nine points, en route to their gold medal. The Philippines were upended by the hosts Japan in the bronze medal game, losing by three points in overtime.
With no PBA players on the roster, the team on the
1995 Asian Championship in
Seoul
Seoul, officially Seoul Special Metropolitan City, is the capital city, capital and largest city of South Korea. The broader Seoul Metropolitan Area, encompassing Seoul, Gyeonggi Province and Incheon, emerged as the world's List of cities b ...
finished last in the preliminary round, but managed to win two games in the classification round to finish 12th out of 19 teams. The team that went to
Riyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in th ...
for the
ABC Championship 1997 did only marginally better; they still finished last in the preliminary round but topped the classification round group en route to a ninth-place finish.
In 1998, the PBA formed the
Philippine Centennial Team coached by the American
Tim Cone
Earl Timothy Cone (born December 14, 1957) is an American professional basketball coach who leads Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Philippine men's national team. He is the most accomplished coa ...
that captured the 21st William Jones Cup championship but finished with the bronze medal in the
1998 Asian Games held in
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
. The Filipinos faced their old nemesis Korea in the quarterfinals and were blown out by twenty points, which led them to face China in the semifinals anew. The result would be the same as four years earlier, with the Chinese winning by nine. The Filipinos won the bronze medal game though, against
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
.
In the
1999 Asian Championship in
Fukuoka
is the List of Japanese cities by population, sixth-largest city in Japan and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a center of international commerce since ancient times. ...
, Japan, the Philippines, with no PBA players on their roster, finished last in the preliminary round, and second in the classification round to finish 11th out of 15 teams. In Shanghai for the
2001 Asian Championship, the Philippines was suspended by FIBA due to leadership disputes at the BAP. This caused the country to miss their first Asian championship. By 2002, a compromise was sorted out, and the Philippines was allowed to participate in the
2002 Asian Games, coached by
Jong Uichico.
In
Busan
Busan (), officially Busan Metropolitan City, is South Korea's second list of cities in South Korea by population, most populous city after Seoul, with a population of over 3.3 million as of 2024. Formerly romanized as Pusan, it is the economi ...
, South Korea, the Philippines easily qualified for the quarterfinals, in which they are grouped with China, Japan and
Chinese Taipei
"Chinese Taipei" is the term used in various international organizations and tournaments for groups or delegations representing the Republic of China (ROC), a country commonly known as Taiwan.
Due to the One China principle stipulated by the ...
. The Philippines won by five points against Japan, and 14 points against Chinese Taipei. The game against China wasn't as close, with the Philippines losing by 41 points, but this assured that they won't have to face China in the semifinals. For the third consecutive time, the Filipinos and Koreans faced in the semifinals, with the same result: the Koreans won over the Philippines, this time by one point. Up by two points,
Olsen Racela missed two free throws, that led to a
Lee Sang-min three-pointer at the buzzer to eliminate the Filipinos. The team would lose in the bronze medal game against Kazakhstan by 2 points as Korea defeated China in overtime by a basket to win Asian Games gold for the first time since 1970.
With no PBA players in the roster, the
2003 Asian Championship in
Harbin
Harbin, ; zh, , s=哈尔滨, t=哈爾濱, p=Hā'ěrbīn; IPA: . is the capital of Heilongjiang, China. It is the largest city of Heilongjiang, as well as being the city with the second-largest urban area, urban population (after Shenyang, Lia ...
was the worst performance by the team in history: a 15th-place finish out of 16 teams. Unlike in 1997 and 1999, the Philippines had one win in the preliminary round (against Jordan). However, in the classification round, the Philippines emerged winless in a group containing
Syria
Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
,
Kuwait
Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
and
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. Only a blowout win against Malaysia saved the Philippines from dropping to the cellar. After the championship, BAP was heavily criticized and took steps to strengthen the team. However, after a loss against the Parañaque Jets, a team composed of politicians, actors and amateurs, by the BAP-managed team, another leadership crisis in the BAP ensued which caused another suspension from FIBA. As a result, the Philippines was not able to participate in the
2005 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2005 FIBA Asia Championship was the men's basketball qualifying tournament for FIBA Asia at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.
In order to qualify for the tournament, teams would have to go through regional qualifier competitions. At t ...
and the
2006 Asian Games.
SBP era (2007–present)
Team Pilipinas (2007–2009)
After the conclusion of the leadership struggle that saw the
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas () or the SBP is the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines, formed from the merging of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB).
It was formed ...
(SBP), an organization backed by the PBA among others, being recognized by both FIBA and the
Philippine Olympic Committee
The Philippine Olympic Committee Inc. (POC) is the National Olympic Committee of the Philippines.
The POC is a private, non-governmental organization composed of and serve as the mother organization of all National Sports Associations (NSAs) in ...
, the Philippines was reinstated by FIBA.
San Miguel-Team Pilipinas was hastily assembled for the
2007 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2007 FIBA Asia Cup, FIBA Asia Championship for Men was the qualifying tournament for FIBA Asia at the Basketball at the Summer Olympics, men's basketball tournament at the 2008 Summer Olympics at Beijing. The tournament was held in Tokushima, T ...
in
Tokushima
is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located on the island of Shikoku. Tokushima Prefecture has a population of 682,439 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,146 Square kilometre, km2 (1,601 sq mi). Tokushima Prefecture b ...
. The team defeated China, which didn't send its best team since they already qualified for the
2008 Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and officially branded as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes fr ...
, but lost to
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
and
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
to bow out of contention. The Filipinos and Chinese met again for the ninth place game in which the Filipinos won by two points. The Philippines qualified for the
2009 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2009 in sports, 2009 FIBA Asia Championship for Men was the biennial Asian continental championship and also served as the FIBA Asia qualifying tournament for the 2010 FIBA World Championship. The tournament was held from August 6 to 16, 2009 i ...
in
Tianjin
Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...
. The Philippines advanced to the quarterfinals to meet Jordan. The Jordanians raced to an early lead where the Filipinos never recovered to win the game. The Filipinos and the Koreans played for seventh place, which saw the Koreans winning by two points.
Gilas Pilipinas (2010–present)
Following the Northern Cement model of the 1980, the SBP established the
Smart Gilas Pilipinas program, backed by SBP President
Manuel V. Pangilinan
Manuel Velez Pangilinan (born July 14, 1946), also known as Manny Pangilinan or by his initials MVP, is a Filipino people, Filipino businessman and sports patron. He is the managing director and CEO of First Pacific, a Hong Kong–based invest ...
, as a developmental team that aims to qualify in the
2012 Olympics. In the
2010 Asian Games
The 2010 Asian Games (), officially known as the XVI Asian Games () and also known as Guangzhou 2010 (), were a regional multi-sport event held from November 12 to 27, 2010 in Guangzhou, Guangdong, China (although several events commenced ear ...
, the Filipinos met the Korean team anew in the quarterfinals and was eliminated. In the
2011 championship at
Wuhan
Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
, the SBP successfully petitioned the naturalization of
Marcus Douthit
Marcus Eugene Douthit (born April 15, 1980) is a Filipino-American former basketball player. He graduated from Providence College. After his stint with the Providence Friars, he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball As ...
; the team progressed up to the semifinals for the first time since 1987. Meeting
Jordan
Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
, the team lost, never recovering after a third quarter run by the Jordanians. In the bronze medal game against Korea with a berth to an Olympic qualifying tournament at stake, the team raced to an early lead, but the Koreans cut the lead and eventually won the game after the Filipinos missed free-throws at the end game. Despite missing an Olympic berth, Smart Gilas' performance was the best finish in the championship since 1987, and the best finish in any major Asian competition since 2002.
After failing to qualify for the Olympics, the SBP decided to form the next edition of Smart Gilas Pilipinas team (Smart Gilas Pilipinas 2.0) composed of PBA players. The Smart Gilas Pilipinas program was renamed Gilas Pilipinas in 2013, still sponsored by
Smart Communications
Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart, is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provider based in the Philippines. As of November ...
. The national team played in the
2013 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2013 in sports, 2013 FIBA Asia Cup, FIBA Asia Championship for Men was the intercontinental championship for basketball organized by FIBA Asia that served as the qualifying tournament for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. The tourna ...
which was hosted at home. After losing to
Chinese Taipei
"Chinese Taipei" is the term used in various international organizations and tournaments for groups or delegations representing the Republic of China (ROC), a country commonly known as Taiwan.
Due to the One China principle stipulated by the ...
in the last game of the preliminary round to finish second, the team won four consecutive games to set up a semifinal against the Koreans. In a close game, the Philippines pulled away late in the game to win 86–79. The win sent the team to the finals and guaranteed qualification to the
FIBA Basketball World Cup
The FIBA Basketball World Cup is an international basketball competition between the senior List of men's national basketball teams, men's national teams of the members of the FIBA, International Basketball Federation (FIBA), the sport's globa ...
(new name of the FIBA World Championship) for the first time since 1978. The Philippines, appearing in the first FIBA Asia Championship final since the introduction of a championship game in 1987, lost by 14 points against undefeated Iran in the final to settle for a silver medal.

The
Congress of the Philippines
The Congress of the Philippines () is the legislature of the national government of the Philippines. It is Bicameralism, bicameral, composed of an upper body, the Senate of the Philippines, Senate, and a lower body, the House of Representatives ...
naturalized
Andray Blatche in time for the
2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 17th edition of the FIBA Basketball World Cup, the tournament previously known as the FIBA World Championship. The tournament was held from 30 August to 14 September 2014. Hosted by Spain, it was the la ...
to beef-up its center position. With Blatche in tow, the Philippines nearly won four tightly fought games against higher ranked teams of Croatia, Greece, Argentina and Puerto Rico, before winning in overtime against Senegal to record its first victory at the World Cup in 40 years. In the
2014 Asian Games
The 2014 Asian Games (), officially known as the 17th Asian Games () and also known as Incheon 2014 (), were a pan-Asian multi-sport event held from 19 September to 4 October 2014 in Incheon, South Korea.
On 17 April 2007, Incheon was awarded ...
, Blatche was not able to join the squad due to residency requirements by the Olympic Council of Asia and Douthit suit up as the national team's naturalized player instead. The Philippines finished seventh, its worst finish in the Asian Games.
On October 30, 2014, the SBP announced the formation of two selection committees to search and appoint the coach and players of future Philippine teams – for elite level and for youth level tournaments. Chot Reyes remained coach until a replacement was decided. The new roster aims to compete in the
2015 FIBA Asia Championship in
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
which will serve as the Asian qualifiers of the
2016 Summer Olympics
The 2016 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXXI Olympiad () and officially branded as Rio 2016, were an international multi-sport event held from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with preliminary events i ...
Basketball tournament in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
.
On December 23, 2014,
Tab Baldwin was formally announced as the new coach of the Philippine national team.
Baldwin's four-year tenure as coach officially began on January 1, 2015.
The team captured the silver medal in the
2015 William Jones Cup but fell short of the gold medal in the
2015 FIBA Asia Championship. However, the Philippines qualified for the
2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament but the team failed in their bid to Rio Olympics losing to France and New Zealand.
The team won gold during
2016 SEABA Cup and a qualifying slot in the
2016 FIBA Asia Challenge. However, as they were represented by the Gilas Cadets with no professional or naturalize players, the team suffered its worst performance placing 9th over-all, a very huge setback due to conflicting schedule with the
national league
National League often refers to:
*National League (baseball), one of the two baseball leagues constituting Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada
*National League (division), the fifth division of the English football (soccer) system ...
and mismanagement of the SBP. In October 2016, Chot Reyes returned as head coach. In 2017, the Philippines hosted the
2017 SEABA Championship
The 12th Southeast Asia Basketball Association SEABA Championship, Championship was the qualifying tournament for the 2017 FIBA Asia Cup. It also served as a regional championship involving Southeast Asian basketball teams. It was held from 12 to ...
and the team swept the competition for the gold medal and the lone spot in the sub-zone for the
2017 FIBA Asia Cup. During the
2017 FIBA Asia Cup, the national team would sweep the group stage consisting of teams from China, Iraq and Qatar. The team failed to advance in the quarterfinals however and finished the tournament in seventh place. The Philippines defended their gold medal for the 12th straight time in the
2017 South East Asian Games beating Indonesia in the finals.
FIBA introduced a qualification process which does not involve the continental tournaments for the
2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams, held from 31 August to 15 September 2019. The tournament was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, b ...
. The Philippines' qualification bid was marred by a
brawl during the team's July 2018 tie against
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
in the
first round of the Asian qualifiers. The incident caused suspensions for some of the players and coaches as well as a fine for SBP. Chot Reyes, who served suspension due to his involvement in the brawl was also replaced by Yeng Guiao. That game and incident started a slump in the standings that almost eliminated the Philippines from the World Cup, but under Guiao they managed to qualify in the last matchday by beating
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a landlocked country primarily in Central Asia, with a European Kazakhstan, small portion in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the Kazakhstan–Russia border, north and west, China to th ...
, combined with a
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
loss to
South Korea
South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...
. The
2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams, held from 31 August to 15 September 2019. The tournament was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, b ...
saw the Philippines with a 0–5 record, the country's worst performance since the 1978 edition, losing four of its five games in a blowout. This was due to lack of preparations and key players begging off from the team, as well as injuries. Due to the disappointing results, the SBP sent an all-professional team for the
2019 South East Asia Games to re-establish its dominance. The national team swept the competition for their 18th Gold Medal in the tournament.
The
2022 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers saw the country win all of its six games, including two victories over South Korea. The team also played at one of the
2020 FIBA Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in
Belgrade
Belgrade is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers and at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin, Pannonian Plain and the Balkan Peninsula. T ...
,
Serbia
, image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg
, national_motto =
, image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg
, national_anthem = ()
, image_map =
, map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...
. In the
2022 FIBA Asia Cup
The 2022 FIBA Asia Cup was the 30th edition of the FIBA Asia Cup, the continental basketball championship in Asia. The tournament was organised by FIBA Asia.
Originally intended to be the 2021 edition, the tournament was initially scheduled to t ...
, the team finished third in its group, being defeated by Lebanon and New Zealand. The team was then eliminated in the first round by Japan, finishing the tournament in ninth place.

The country co-hosted the
2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 19th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams, held from 25 August to 10 September 2023. The tournament was the second to feature 32 teams and was hosted by multipl ...
with Japan and Indonesia. Despite being automatically qualified as co-hosts, the Philippines still took part in the tournament's
Asian Qualifiers by virtue of qualifying for the Asia Cup. In the World Cup, the country had a 1–4 record, with their win coming against China—their first tournament win on home soil as they were not able to win a game during their last hosting in
1978
Events January
* January 1 – Air India Flight 855, a Boeing 747 passenger jet, crashes off the coast of Bombay, killing 213.
* January 5 – Bülent Ecevit, of Republican People's Party, CHP, forms the new government of Turkey (42nd ...
.
In the
2022 Asian Games, the Philippines clinched its first gold medal since the
1962 edition, after defeating Iran and China by a single point each in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively, and beating Jordan in the final.
Historic wins for the national team continued under head coach Tim Cone at the
2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament as the Philippines stunned the world's sixth-ranked
Latvia
Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...
to take their first win in an Olympic qualifier since
1964
Events January
* January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved.
* January 5 – In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patria ...
and their first win against a European country in any FIBA competition since the
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad () and commonly known as Rome 1960 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 25 August to 11 September 1960 in Rome, Italy. Rome had previously been awar ...
. This win extended the Philippines' international winning streak to seven games, excluding friendly matches.
FIBA suspensions
1963
In 1963, FIBA suspended the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
for its failure to stage the
1963 FIBA World Championship
The 1963 FIBA World Championship was the 4th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's national teams. The competition was hosted by Brazil from 12 to 25 May 1963.
The Philippines was originally awarded ...
after Philippine president
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal Sr. (; September 28, 1910 – April 21, 1997) was a Filipino lawyer, poet and politician who served as the 9th President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the 5th Vice President of the Philippines, V ...
refused to allow players from
Yugoslavia
, common_name = Yugoslavia
, life_span = 1918–19921941–1945: World War II in Yugoslavia#Axis invasion and dismemberment of Yugoslavia, Axis occupation
, p1 = Kingdom of SerbiaSerbia
, flag_p ...
and other communist countries to enter the country. Later, the Philippines, despite being the Asian champion, was forced to play in a pre-Olympic tournament in order to qualify for the
1964 Summer Olympics
The , officially the and commonly known as Tokyo 1964 (), were an international multi-sport event held from 10 to 24 October 1964 in Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo had been awarded the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subseq ...
.
2001
The leadership crisis in the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) worsened after a lengthy feud between the group of Graham Lim and Tiny Literal and the group of Freddie Jalasco and
Lito Puyat which resulted in the suspension of the BAP. After a few months, FIBA intervened and ordered an election which resulted in Literal's victory as the president of the BAP. The suspension was quickly lifted and the Philippines was able to compete in the
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with sup ...
in
Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
.
2005–2007
The Philippines was again suspended in July 2005 after a long-standing feud between the BAP and the
Philippine Olympic Committee
The Philippine Olympic Committee Inc. (POC) is the National Olympic Committee of the Philippines.
The POC is a private, non-governmental organization composed of and serve as the mother organization of all National Sports Associations (NSAs) in ...
(POC).
The conflict began on April 10, 2005, when the BAP-sponsored Cebuana-Lhuillier Philippine National team (composed of little-known amateur players) lost to a lowly Parañaque Jets team (made up of showbiz personalities) in a
National Basketball Conference (NBC) pre-season tournament at the
Rizal Memorial Coliseum
The Rizal Memorial Coliseum is an indoor arena in the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila, Philippines. It can hold up to 6,100 people.
History
The Rizal Memorial Coliseum within the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex was built on the former si ...
. Upon hearing the news, POC president
Jose Cojuangco, Jr. called for improvements in the national team, most notably, in the sending of a new team made up of players from the
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines, composed of twelve company-branded Franchising, franchise teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia ...
(PBA).
The PBA, together with the
Philippine Basketball League (PBL), the
UAAP
The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), established in 1938, is an athletic association of eight Metro Manila universities in the Philippines. The eight-member schools are Adamson University (AdU), Ateneo de Manila Univer ...
and the
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates College athletics in the United States, student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, and Simon Fraser University, 1 in Canada. ...
, reportedly came to an agreement on the formation of a new national team. The POC, through a vote, first suspended, then in a later meeting, expelled the BAP as the official National Sports Association (NSA) for basketball and installed a new member in the Philippine Basketball Federation. The BAP, under new president
Joey Lina, said that the expulsion was unconstitutional in the by-laws of the POC.
In hopes of securing a long-term solution, the FIBA ordered the PBA, PBL, UAAP, NCAA and Joey Lina (as an individual – or in Lina's claim, as a representative of the BAP) to form a new constitution or form of a new basketball body. By March 2006, the four stakeholders (PBA, PBL, UAAP and NCAA) signed an agreement to propose a new basketball body (
Pilipinas Basketball). Lina refused to sign the memorandum, citing "unbalanced factors" that was put in the draft. After the four stakeholders met with Baumann in South Korea, the suspension was not lifted and the draft for a new body was not accepted since Lina was not in agreement. After several meetings between Baumann and the officials of the BAP and Pilipinas Basketball in
Geneva
Geneva ( , ; ) ; ; . is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland and the most populous in French-speaking Romandy. Situated in the southwest of the country, where the Rhône exits Lake Geneva, it is the ca ...
and
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai language, Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estim ...
, a Unity Congress was held. The BAP and Pilipinas Basketball agreed to merge, creating the
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas () or the SBP is the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines, formed from the merging of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB).
It was formed ...
(SBP) as the new national basketball federation. The POC recognized the SBP as the new national governing body for basketball, after which the FIBA finally lifted the almost two-year-old suspension it imposed upon the country.
Nickname
The first Philippine team that competed in the
1936
Events January–February
* January 20 – The Prince of Wales succeeds to the throne of the United Kingdom as King Edward VIII, following the death of his father, George V, at Sandringham House.
* January 28 – Death and state funer ...
Olympic Games
The modern Olympic Games (Olympics; ) are the world's preeminent international Olympic sports, sporting events. They feature summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a Multi-s ...
were known as "the Islanders". After the Philippines became a republic in 1946, the national team was simply referred to by the press as the "RP 5" or "RP team" ("RP" standing for "Republic of the Philippines").
When the
Northern Cement basketball team represented the Philippines from 1983 to 1985, the team was referred to as the "NCC" team. After the disbandment of the NCC team in 1986, the national team was referred to as "RP 5" or "RP team" once again.
In the 1990 Asian Games, following the example of the first
U.S. Dream Team, the Philippine team was referred to the "
Philippines Dream Team", as this was the first national team with PBA players. Later, it was referred to as "Team Philippines". Eventually, "Team Philippines" became the name used to refer to the entire Philippine contingent in multi-sports events such as the Asian and Olympic Games.
During the
Philippine Centennial
The Philippine Centennial was a series of celebrations by the Philippine government to primarily commemorate the 100th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898.
Background
The Philippine Centennial primarily c ...
in 1998, the team became known as the
Philippine Centennial Team.
From 2005 to 2009, Team Pilipinas represented the men's basketball team. Team Pilipinas was the initiative of the PBA and sponsored by
San Miguel Corporation
San Miguel Corporation (), abbreviated as SMC, is a Philippine multinational conglomerate with headquarters in Mandaluyong, Metro Manila. The company is one of the largest and most diversified conglomerates in the Philippines. Originally fo ...
(2005–2007, named "
San Miguel-Team Pilipinas") and
Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, Inc. (2009, named "
Powerade-Team Pilipinas").
In 2010, the
Smart Gilas Pilipinas and Sinag Pilipinas programs replaced the Team Pilipinas program. Sinag Pilipinas represents the country in regional competitions such as the
Southeast Asian Games
The Southeast Asian Games, commonly known as SEA Games is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia. The games are under the regulation of the Southeast Asian Games Federation with sup ...
and
SEABA Championship.
Smart Communications
Smart Communications Inc., commonly referred to as Smart, is a wholly owned wireless communications and digital services subsidiary of PLDT Inc., a telecommunications and digital services provider based in the Philippines. As of November ...
is the main sponsor of both programs. ''Gilas'' is a Filipino word that loosely translates into English as "prowess", and ''sinag'' translates as "ray" (sunlight). The name Gilas was adopted from the mascot of the 2005 Southeast Asian Games held in Manila, Philippines which is an eagle. The mascot was designed by Filipino sports journalist Danny Simon.
In 2013, the Smart brand was dropped from the branding of both programs, although Smart Communications remained as the main sponsor. In 2015, the Sinag Pilipinas program was renamed into as the "Gilas Cadets".
In December 2016, the Gilas Pilipinas program got a big boost as a new backer in Chooks-to-Go to form partnership with Smart Communications in the united effort in supporting the Pinoy cagers in their quest for international glory. The team carry that name when participated in 2017 international games.
The squad that participated in the 2018 Asian Games was referred to as Rain or Shine-Philippines (RoS-Philippines), Gilastopainters or simply Team Pilipinas due to the core of the team being composed of
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are a professional basketball team in the Philippine Basketball Association owned by Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. It debuted in the league in the 2006–07 PBA season after acquiring the franchise righ ...
players instead of the Gilas. The squad stood-in for the Gilas Pilipinas roster which had many of its players as well as Reyes himself suspended due to their involvement in the
Philippines-Australia brawl.
Gilas Pilipinas continued the name of the men's national team. In May 2019, the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas formally adopted the Gilas Pilipinas name for the all teams (men's, women's, youth, and 3x3) as part of a larger rebrand and restructuring.
Uniform
The national colors of blue, white and red have been used in national team uniforms throughout history. Most teams used a blue uniform as the dark-colored uniform, and a white uniform for light-colored uniform. Red was occasionally used as a tertiary color. In the
2002 Asian Games, the dark-colored uniform was a red one. It has consistently used the blue and white uniform as dark and light uniforms, respectively.
The national team under the
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas () or the SBP is the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines, formed from the merging of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB).
It was formed ...
(SBP) initially had Accel as its official outfitter.
Nike was the official outfitter of the national team from 2007 to 2024. The SBP has entered a new deal with an undisclosed 'global brand' to replace Nike in February 2025.
Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
was announced to be the national team outfitter in May 2025.
In the 2013 Asian Championship, the color white has been used to identify the team with the fans.
Manufacturer
*Until 2007: Accel
*2007–2024:
Nike
*2025–present:
Adidas
Adidas AG (; stylized in all lowercase since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the ...
Fixtures and results
;2025 results
Competitions
Olympic Games
FIBA World Olympic qualifying tournament
FIBA Basketball World Cup
FIBA Asia Cup
FIBA Asia Challenge
Asian Games
Southeast Asian Games
SEABA Championship
SEABA Cup
Far Eastern Championship Games
Other tournaments
William Jones Cup
*Note: The list only includes those that are participated by the national team. Other teams representing the country are excluded.
Philippine Basketball Association
Note: This does not include records by the
Northern Cement basketball team.
Team
Roster
Competition:
2025 FIBA Asia Cup qualification
Opposition:
New Zealand
New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...
(February 23, 2025)
Venue:
Spark Arena,
Auckland
Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
Past rosters
*Note: Olympics, World Championships, Asian Games and Asian Championships only.
Coaches
See also
*
Philippines women's national basketball team
*
Philippines men's national under-19 basketball team
*
Philippines men's national under-17 basketball team
The men's national under-17 basketball team of the Philippines represents the country in junior men's under-16 and under-17 International Basketball Federation, FIBA tournaments and is governed by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.
The team ...
*
Philippines men's national basketball team in FIBA club tournaments
*
San Miguel-Team Pilipinas basketball team
*
Philippine Centennial Team
*
Northern Cement basketball team
*
Basketball in the Philippines
*
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas () or the SBP is the national sport association for basketball in the Philippines, formed from the merging of the Basketball Association of the Philippines (BAP) and Pilipinas Basketball (PB).
It was formed ...
*
Philippine Basketball Association
The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is a men's professional basketball league in the Philippines, composed of twelve company-branded Franchising, franchise teams. Founded in 1975, it is the first professional basketball league in Asia ...
Notes
References
External links
*
FIBA profilePBA Official websiteNew PBA Official websitePhilippine Basketball Team News Roster Profile UpdatesPhilippine Olympic Committee WebsiteSmart Gilas Basketball News and UpdatesTeam Pilipinas News Update Site
{{Basketball in the Philippines
national
Men's national basketball teams
Guest Philippine Basketball Association teams
1913 establishments in the Philippines
National sports teams established in 1913