THE Philippines, a country that treats basketball like a religion, holds its breath and prays for something that has never happened before — hear Kai Sotto’s name be called in the NBA annual rookie draft today at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The 7-foot-3 center announced last April that he will join the NBA draft and has participated in eight workouts, the last with the Indiana Pacers last Wednesday in his bid to become the first homegrown Filipino to gain NBA foothold.
“I’m a skilled seven-footer that can shoot from the outside,” Sotto said after his individual workout with the Pacers.
“I’m a pretty good passer at my height as well and I have a high basketball IQ. Pretty good shot-blocker,” he added.
Sotto last saw action for Adelaide in the National Basketball League of Australia and averaged 7.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, and 0.8 bpg for the 36ers.
He also had workouts with the New York Knicks and the Sacramento Kings, among other NBA teams.
Sotto, 21, is convinced his stint at Land Down Under toughened him up after a botched try with Ignite in the NBA G League.
“It really helped me a lot. Just the experience, hanging around with the guys, and learning from everybody, starting from my staff to my teammates, to my coaches, and my opponents,” Sotto said.
“The whole year was a really fun experience. Really learned a lot and really helped me develop and improve as a player.”
Although prominent websites such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, Yahoo!, NBC, and CBS all did not have his name in their final mock draft projections ahead of the proceedings, Sotto is still hoping all the blood, sweat, and tears will be worth it and will serve as an inspiration to aspiring Filipino players.
“The biggest goal for me is to make it to the NBA. But when I look at the bigger picture, I want to make it to the NBA to serve as an example and inspiration to the younger players, younger athletes back home in the Philippines,” he said.
“If they can say that if Kai can make it, so can I, that’s a dream come true.”
Jabari Smith, Chet Holmgren, and Paolo Banchero are among those seen as possible top picks in the draft.
Among those other rookie hopefuls with Filipino blood include Ron Harper Jr. and Remy Martin.
Sotto graduated from high school at Miami School in Hamilton, Ohio in April last year.
A former UAAP juniors’ MVP with Ateneo High School and a former Gilas Youth mainstay now proving his worth with the senior’s squad, Sotto left the country in 2019 to train at the Atlanta-based The Skills Factory.
