WHILE it was not all sunshine and rainbows in Miami, Florida, Kai Sotto admitted that despite his botched stint with Ignite in the NBA G League, he learned valuable lessons that he will take to heart.
“My biggest takeaway is just to learn the environment of being a professional at a young age. As expected, noong simula, hindi ko ini-expect na ganoon karami iyong matututunan ko,” Sotto said last Wednesday in an exclusive roundtable interview via Zoom with Filipino reporters.
“Hindi lang sa loob ng basketball court, pero mas marami akong natutunan outside the court,” he added.
The 7-foot-3 center was signed up by the select squad in May last year to help him in his coveted dream to become the first pure blooded Filipino to play in the NBA.
Sotto trained with other amateur standouts such as athletic Fil-Am wingman Jalen Green, forward Isaiah Todd, playmaker Daishen Nix, Congolese forward Jonathan Kuminga, NBA veterans Amir Johnson and Bobby Brown, under former NBA champion Brian Shaw.
In a move that drew criticism from armchair pundits, Sotto opted to return to the country to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the third window of the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers last February in Clark before it was canceled, and the hosting was given to Doha.
Carrying the weight of expectations from his fellow Filipinos who treat basketball as a religion, Sotto said his family, especially his mother Pamela, did not lose faith in him, saying for big dreams to come true, big challenges should be hurdled.
“Iyong mom ko, mas naging vocal siya sa akin. Iyong dad ko lagi ko namang maaasahan, pero iyong mom ko ang nagbigay ng lakas para sa akin. Sabi niya, ‘Kai, stay strong lang.
Dumadating iyan sa lahat ng tao, lalo na sa iyo sa path na pinili mo.’ Walang maliit na bump. Talagang kung iyong dream mo mataas, talagang malaki iyong challenges na mae-encounter mo,’” Sotto recalled.
“Having my mom and dad, and inspiration ko rin iyong dalawang nakababata kong kapatid, tinulungan nila ako to continue na magsipag pa lalo at continue iyong path ko.”
Sotto, 18, is set to bring his act to Adelaide in the National Basketball League of Australia after agreeing to a multi-year deal.
“Wala akong specific answer, pero marami talaga akong natutunan,” he said.
“Ang pinakamalaki kong natutunan ay pagiging pro at a young age.”
