QUENTIN Millora-Brown (QMB) is now officially recognized as a local player for Gilas Pilipinas in all FIBA-sanctioned competitions, following a recent reversal now reflected on FIBA’s official player portal.
On Thursday night (Philippine time), Millora-Brown’s camp—led by his agent Tod Seidel—received formal confirmation from FIBA, validating that he had secured his Philippine passport before turning 16.
The update came quickly, as news broke early Friday morning and the FIBA portal was promptly updated to list Millora-Brown as a local player eligible to suit up for the Philippines in the evening.
Now a Local: It’s Confirmed
As first reported by Tiebreaker Times, Millora-Brown’s legal representatives, Ale Mosca and Toni Verano, provided documentation proving he was issued a Philippine passport at just four years old, back in 2005.
Further backing the ruling, the Department of Foreign Affairs authenticated the passport, strengthening the case for the one-and-done University of the Philippines standout during UAAP Season 87.
The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) also supported the development, confirming through their social media and the FIBA Management and Administration Platform (MAP).
“We’re pleased with the update from FIBA because a player of his size and skill can make a positive impact for the Gilas Pilipinas Men,” SBP President Al Panlilio said.
Millora-Brown previously expressed confidence that his and his legal team’s appeal for reclassification was on solid ground — a belief that has now been validated with the official ruling in their favor.
Coach Cone Welcomes QMB
Now officially recognized as a local, the 6-foot-10 Millora-Brown is set to bolster Gilas Pilipinas’ frontcourt, joining forces with 7-foot-3 Kai Sotto — still recovering from an ACL injury — and 6-foot-10 defensive anchor AJ Edu.
No one seems more thrilled about his addition than Gilas head coach Tim Cone, who has openly shared that he’s kept a close eye on Millora-Brown since his stint with the UP Fighting Maroons last year.
“Oh man! What can you say? You get a talented, athletic, young 6-foot-10 player who is still… He is a 6-10 KQ in terms of what it means to the program,” Cone said in an episode of Noli Eala’s Power & Play on Saturday.
“A big guy like that is basically what the doctor ordered. AJ and June Mar (Fajardo) were out there pretty much on their own during the Asia Cup,” he went on to explain, citing how much the Nationals are in dire need of a big.
Perfect Timing for Gilas
The timing of the decision couldn’t be more ideal for Gilas Pilipinas, especially with veterans June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar often having difficulty keeping up with the size and athleticism of younger international big men.
With Millora-Brown’s inclusion, head coach Tim Cone likened the unexpected addition of a 6-foot-10 reinforcement ahead of the FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers in November to landing a “number one draft pick” in the pros.
“In a professional team, you have the draft to bring new guys in. This is not unlike any other team. This whole program is based on continuity,” Cone said.
“We want to see how long we can go with this team, but we have never been averse to making changes. It’s just that the continuity idea was paramount to us.”
Gilas Tweaks Lineup?
Meanwhile, Cone shared that he’s set to meet with the SBP in the coming weeks to explore the option of adding two more players — though he clarified that it won’t be a major shake-up to the current pool and roster.
“You have to make room for him. We’ll take a look at the lineup and try to make tweaks here and there. We won’t do a wholesale change and look for eight more guys,” Cone said.
“These guys are the best in the country, but there are still others who may contribute and play a bigger role. That’s what we are going to do in the next couple of weeks with the BBP and our staff.”
“QMB is going to be one of the changes. Bringing Kai (Sotto) back in the lineup by February is another, and there could be a couple more. The program started with an idea of continuity,” he added.
Beyond earning a sensible shot with the national team, the ruling also opens professional doors for Millora-Brown, as he now qualifies to play in Japan’s B.League as an Asian import.
However, he remains ineligible for the Asian Quota in both the Korean Basketball League and Taiwan Professional Basketball League, which require players to have both parents holding Philippine passports.
Still, what matters most to Millora-Brown is the chance to fulfill his dream of representing the country of his late grandfather, Dr. Angel Millora — the very person he often credits as his biggest inspiration for wanting to play for Gilas Pilipinas.
