Mike Phillips finally has the green light to suit up in Gilas Pilipinas’ red, white, and blue.
The 23-year-old Phillips has officially been granted local player status by FIBA, clearing the path for him to represent the Philippines without restriction in future international competitions. The same was recently done for Quentin Millora-Brown and in previous years for Chris Newsome and Greg Slaughter.
The ruling removes any lingering uncertainty about his eligibility and firmly secures his place in the national program moving forward.
Phillips is no stranger to the Gilas program though. He previously represented the Philippines in the 2023 Southeast Asian Games–which is not a FIBA-sanctioned event–and played a key role in the team’s gold medal-winning run. He was originally slated to be part of the 2025 SEA Games lineup last December, but was left off due to host country Thailand’s intricate eligibility rules.
With FIBA’s latest decision, this chapter of uncertainty closes for Philips. He can now suit up for Gilas as a local whenever and wherever.
At 6-foot-6, Phillips brings a distinctly different dimension to the current Gilas frontcourt rotation. His frenetic, high-motor style contrasts sharply with the more calculated approach of June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu, as well as the finesse of Kai Sotto. Phillips thrives in the paint, especially when there are loose balls to be had. He sprints hard down the floor, crashes the boards on both ends, and has a knack for finding second-chance scoring opportunities.
His perimeter shot and free throw shooting remain a work in progress, but that limitation is softened by the shooting range already present among Gilas’ other big men. Lineups can be constructed to maximize spacing while still unleashing Phillips’ relentless activity inside.
What separates him most, however, is not size or skill. It is his unrelenting effort. Phillips’ hustle fuels his rebounding and often leads to momentum-shifting plays that cannot be measured through traditional box scores. That brand of passion has resonated with Filipino fans for decades as they have long gravitated toward players who leave everything on the floor.
Phillips is coming off a stellar five-year run with the DLSU Green Archers in the UAAP, where he won two championships, including the 2025 title last December. He finished second in the 2025 UAAP MVP race after averaging 12.8 points, 14.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per game and was named the UAAP Finals MVP this past season. Throughout his final campaign with La Salle, Phillips displayed the type of on-court maturity that was the missing ingredient for him for several years. This allowed him to become a more effective team player and it was a major driver behind DLSU’s Cinderella run to the championship.
While Phillips is still far from a finished product, the energy that he brings is already going to give the Philippines a boost. He gives them much-needed frontcourt depth and is likely going to be used as the type of spark plug player who can alter the tempo of a game.
This is just the beginning of what should be a long relationship between Phillips and the Gilas program–one that can hopefully bear bountiful fruit in the years to come.
