SPORTS | Kai Sotto: A Journey of A Nation
by Daryl Rivera
The Philippines’ most prized asset in the basketball world may still be 20 years old, but one can argue that he has not been short in terms of experience in competing with the very best. Kai Sotto’s journey has not been the smoothest, but it has indeed sparked the hope of a basketball-crazed nation patiently waiting for its first delegate to the world’s premier basketball league, the National Basketball Association (NBA). Sotto’s popularity has spread throughout the world stemming from ecstatic Filipino support at home and has helped in firmly establishing the country’s position on the world’s basketball map. The 7-foot-2 cager is still working toward his dream of becoming the first homegrown Filipino basketball player in the NBA, and it is evident that his countrymen are willing to give their one-hundred-percent support.
Growing up taller than most of his peers, Sotto gained enormous attention when he transferred to the Ateneo de Manila University to pursue his secondary education, while also playing in its Junior Basketball squad. Scouts paid close attention to the Blue Eaglets’ mesmerizing prospect due to his unique ball-handling skills, ambidexterity, floor-spacing abilities, and excellent feel for the game. The Blue Eaglets benefited from having the 7-foot-2 center on their squad who could easily grab rebounds, protect the paint, and score at will against smaller defenders. This advantage sparked the Katipunan-based side’s UAAP Season 80 juniors basketball title run, with Sotto hailed as the Finals Most Valuable Player after beating the well-organized National University basketball program.
In an attempt to be steps closer to his NBA dream, Sotto left the Philippines in 2019 to train for The Skill Factory (TSF), a program based in Atlanta, Georgia, USA to go head-to-head with a bigger, more athletic competition. After a successful stint in TSF with him eventually winning MVP honors in an invitational tournament, ESPN, a USA-based sports broadcasting network, ranked Sotto as a four-star prospect, which caught the eye of several NBA scouts. This made elite American college basketball programs turn their attention to the vastly-improved-but-raw Sotto, with European outfits as well as prestigious universities, such as Auburn, Georgia Tech, and Kentucky, interested in the Filipino prodigy.
However, Sotto chose a more non-traditional path: signing with newly-formed G-League Ignite alongside fellow Filipino Jalen Green and other top prospects. Despite the constant hype, Sotto was overshadowed by his Ignite teammates — a mixture of top prospects as well as seasoned veterans. With this, he opted to render his services for Gilas Pilipinas in the Fiba Asia Cup Qualifiers. His inclusion in the program raised the eyebrows of many as he was not considered to be that high of a prospect compared to the likes of Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Daishien Nix. Others branded this as a successful marketing strategy from the NBA to increase the Ignite program’s exposure, especially in a basketball-crazed nation like the Philippines.
After the Ignite debacle, the big man from Las Piñas moved to Adelaide to play for local outfit Adelaide 36ers in Australia’s top league. In his stint, Sotto showed his more polished game and eventually declared for the 2022 NBA Draft, where he remained unselected. Failing to make the NBA, he stayed in Adelaide up until recently, when he signed a short-term deal to play for the Hiroshima Dragons in the Japanese B1 League. It is expected that Sotto will suit up for the Philippine National team as it tries to assemble its strongest possible lineup that will compete in the 2023 Fiba Basketball World Cup to be held in Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
At 20 years old, time is on Sotto’s side. His uniqueness and perseverance on the floor are tools he can maximize to eventually enter the gates of the NBA. With the never-ending support of Filipino fans, along with the top corporations backing his NBA aspirations, the “unicorn” Sotto will still face an uphill battle due to the high level of competition surrounding him. His lack of strength, athleticism, as well as inconsistency, will still be factors haunting him in his pursuit of cracking an NBA roster.
At a tender age, Sotto has been the country’s best-ever homegrown prospect. His offensive and defensive capabilities have benefited the Philippine Men’s Basketball team like no other. With the blessing of a gifted prospect, toxic Filipino basketball fans have also taken center stage with ludicrous hot takes aimed at our nation’s best talent. Sotto’s emergence is also a reminder to a nation that treats basketball as a religion that support is sometimes better served quietly — that words can hamper the chances of talented and dedicated individuals vying for their ultimate dreams.
