Five years seems like a long time, but there's a reason Chot Reyes is assembling a pool of young players for the 2023 World Cup now.

The Gilas Pilipinas head coach is concerned with player availability and familiarity in the coming years, suggesting that given the qualifying tournament uses "competition windows" there needs to be a deep pool of names ready to be tapped and inserted into the team.

A "window" is a pair of home-and-away games scheduled over the course of more than a year, several of which are separated by an interval of a few months.

“Dati nga nahihirapan tayong magbuo ng team para sa isang tournament sa isang taon,” Reyes said in an interview on DZMM’s “Fastbreak” on Saturday. “Ngayon anim na windows in the span of 2 years. It became more difficult.”

• READ: Kobe, Thirdy, PH young guns lead Gilas pool for 2023 FIBA World Cup

It has been a common practice for Gilas to source its players from various PBA clubs, but this time it won’t work, Reyes said.

In comparison, powerhouse teams such as China and Iran have been using players as young as 17 years old.

“Tayo hindi ganun,” said Reyes. “That's why we're putting together the 23 for ‘23. So that we get guys now, bata pa lang magkakaamuyan na sila. Para in the future pwedeng pwede na.”

Leading Reyes’ choice for the 23-man pool are UAAP Season 80 Finals MVP Thirdy Ravena, the San Beda Red Lions' Robert Bolick and rising star Kobe Paras.

Also included in the pool are 16-year-old, 7-foot-2 Ateneo center Kai Zachary Sotto and NCAA Season 93 MVP Jaymar Perez of Lyceum Pirates.

Joining Bolick and Perez in the back court are Juan Gomez de Liano of the University of the Philippines, Remy Martin of Arizona State University, Matt Nieto of Ateneo, and Paul Desiderio of UP.

Besides Paras and Ravena, the other wingmen are JJ Alejandro of National University, Kenneth Tuffin of Far Eastern University, Jeo Ambohot of Letran, Dwight Ramos of California State University-Fullerton, Joshua Sinclair of NU, Arvin Tolentino of FEU and Javee Mocon of San Beda.

• READ: Why some La Salle players were excluded from Chot’s #23for23 Gilas pool

Reyes said size, mobility and shooting were the biggest factors behind the choices. "We need taller guys," he said, "even taller than we have in Gilas today."

The upgrade in size was put into motion 5 years ago.

“In the first iteration of the Gilas that went to the worlds, ang naturalized player natin ay Andray Blatche. If you put Blatche together with a Ranidel de Ocampo on the fourth spot who can also shoot, then we have a potent combination. As early as 5 years ago, iyon na ang ating ginagawa.

“Ang problema Ranidel is 6-foot-4 maybe 6-foot-5, point guard sa kalaban natin iyon,” Reyes said.

“That's why we have to upgrade. Iyong mga wings natin na magagaling like Larry Fonacier, Jeff Chan, they are 6-foot-2, 6-foot-1. We have now Roger Pogoy and Matthew Wright, also 6-foot-1, 6-foot-2, that has to be upgraded. We need guys like 6-foot-4, 6-foot-5 in those spots.”

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