Lastimosa not sure when Mikey Williams can rejoin TNT

With less than a month before the start of Season 48 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), TNT’s Filipino-American guard Mikey Williams is still not back with his team.

TNT debuted in the East Asia Super League Season 2 on Wednesday night, October 11, with a 93-75 beating at the hands of host squad Chiba Jets at the Funabashi Arena in Chiba, Japan.

The Tropang Giga played with a depleted roster due to the absence of injured big men Poy Erram and Justin Chua. Roger Pogoy is also out due to health issues while Calvin Oftana is on a 10-day break after the Asian Games.

Williams, meanwhile, is still in the United States.

Mike Williams is still not practicing with his team with less than a month before the start of the PBA season. PBA IMAGE

The Tropang Giga, however, have a chance to get back at the Jets on November 1 when TNT hosts the Japanese squad in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

But when asked if Oftana and Williams will be available by then, Lastimosa said that between the two, they are only expecting Oftana to rejoin TNT by then.

“Calvin yes, Mikey I don’t know,” was Lastimosa’s short reply to the Manila Times.

The 59-year-old concurrent TNT team manager and coach added that Chot Reyes, who will stay on and function for the moment as consultant, will be “dealing with Williams” so he can concentrate on coaching.

“Not dealing with him (Williams) coz I’m coaching. I left it with Chot,” said Lastimosa.

The 59-year-old TNT mentor declined to elaborate on Williams’ situation, except to say. “he’s still not with us.”

The 6-foot-2 Williams, who turns 32 this October 27, is no doubt, a gem of a player as evidenced by his all-around numbers that saw him average 22 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists to help TNT dethrone Barangay Ginebra, 4-2 in the 2022-23 PBA Governors’ Cup last April.

The PBA 2020 fourth overall pick unloaded nine triples en route to finishing with a game-high 38 points, going berserk on three-point land with his astounding 9-of-18 shooting to lift TNT to a pulsating 97-93 win and the league title.