After Gilas Pilipinas practice had ended on Thursday night -- their first since returning from Europe on Thursday -- AJ Edu, the youngest player among the 16 who showed up at the age of 23, sat alone behind the baseline getting his ankle iced.
It was that same ankle that prevented him from seeing a minute of playing time during Gilas' six-game European tour after he had injured it training in New Zealand.
As ESPN was catching up with the promising talent, it did not take long to see just how highly rated he is -- even among his more experienced peers.
"Just wait for my man, AJ!" exclaimed Chris Newsome, poking his head into the conversation.
"He's doing good -- (the) next big thing. (The) future's bright for the kid."
Gilas has high hopes for the 6-foot-10 Edu for the coming FIBA World Cup, just as Gilas Youth had high hopes for the then-19-year-old for the 2019 FIBA U-19 World Cup.
He was coming off a decent rookie season with the University of Toledo Rockets, playing in 33 games and averaging 3.6 points in around 14 minutes of run time.
Together with 7-2 Kai Sotto, they were supposed to be the frontline of the future.
But just two minutes into his first game at the under-19 tournament, Edu tore the ACL and meniscus in his right knee, forcing him to sit out his sophomore season.
He returned for the 2020-21 NCAA season, but played just two games after tearing the meniscus in his left knee in December 2020. Seven months later, he tore his other ACL, limiting his junior season to two games as well.
Edu returned to action in 2022-23 for his final season at Toledo, after which he got a call-up for Gilas.
It was a call he thought would never happen anymore.
"There were definitely times during that period when I was getting injured all the time where I probably thought I wouldn't be here anymore in terms of continuing basketball," he told ESPN.
"But I'm really blessed to have the opportunity to be back here, and just thankful that I have good people supporting me, and people believing in me still."
Edu knows he's fortunate enough to be on a team of veterans from the PBA and Japan's B.League, and he's just soaking it all up.
"It's been a great experience," he added. "At first it was a bit surreal, just being finally here at the senior level playing with all these legends out here.
"But it's been nice getting to know everyone and getting settled into the team and it's been a great experience so far."
"Basketball-side, just to learn the dedication it takes to be at that level, to be at the top of the game, how you manage your body -- I'm just learning from their experience, obviously being the youngest on the team.
"There's a lot of people who have professional experience. So (I'm) just learning as much as I can and, off the court, just building the relationship with them as well has been really good."
He's also fortunate that the two most veteran members of this Gilas pool are fellow bigs June Mar Fajardo and Japeth Aguilar, who have been leading by example.
"(They) have both been really cool and humble," Edu revealed. "They're so experienced.
"They've represented the Philippines so many times so I'm just trying to soak in as much knowledge as I can."
The two big men, who will both be playing in their third World Cups, have been doing their part to mold their heir apparent.
"We're very happy to have AJ," Fajardo said in Tagalog. "I hope he stays healthy. We need him in the World Cup. He has very big potential -- a big help to the team.
"The kid is very skilled, and we're working on him as a team."
Aguilar concurs, saying in Tagalog: "AJ is very promising. His health is important. As long as he stays healthy... and just be patient and absorb everything he's learning from the team.
"Every now and then, I just advise him and mentor him through example. I try to give him confidence and tell him not to hesitate on the plays."
In the meantime, Edu says he needs to work on his shot, conceding: "(It's about) just getting my shooting touch back. In Toledo, I was a bit limited in the role that I had.
"But hopefully (I can) just get my freedom and my shooting touch back. In terms of defense, that has never left since the injury. I think the basic thing is just getting my shot back."
After the World Cup, Edu will join some of his Gilas teammates and head off to Japan, where he's signed to play with the Toyama Grouses of the B.League.
"Yes, I'm very excited (about playing in Japan). Really, it's nice to be starting my professional career (and I'm) just very grateful for that.
"(I'm) just looking forward to competing out there, even competing against other Filipinos who are out there as well. It will be a lot of fun."
To be clear, Edu isn't a lock yet to make the final 12-man roster.
Aside from Fajardo and Aguilar, Poy Erram and Sotto are also in the mix to form Chot Reyes' frontline rotation, although he is betting on himself to make it.
"I definitely believe if I'm 100% healthy and conditioned, I'm confident in my ability to make the final 12," Edu stated.
"We'll see, we'll see. I still have some time, so I'll be ready by the time the World Cup comes."