And so his stint with Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 was just an affirmation of his vast talents. He, together with Kai Sotto, AJ Edu and Dwight Ramos are the future of Philippine basketball.
The 25-year-old Abando had his best game in the tournament as he finished with 14 points and five rebounds, but his moment to shine came during the third quarter.After Ramos blocked a shot by Jinqui Ju in the final 5:26, Abando grabbed the rebound in the next play. Reyes, before stepping down, said that Abando will be among the young players he expects to shine for Gilas in the future.Anderson was impressed by the performances not only of Clarkson, but of Abando as well.