Kai Sotto
Kai Zachary Perlado Sotto (English: /ˈkaɪ/, Tagalog: [ˈkaɪ ˈsɔtɔ]; born May 11, 2002) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). Listed at 7 feet 2 inches (2.18 m) and 232 pounds (105 kg), he plays the center position. He also played for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) before moving to The Skill Factory (TSF) in Atlanta, Georgia. He has represented the Philippines national team in several senior and youth tournaments.
Sotto with The Skill Factory in 2020 | ||||||||||||||
| No. 11 – Adelaide 36ers | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Center | |||||||||||||
| League | NBL | |||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | May 11, 2002 Las Piñas, Philippines | |||||||||||||
| Listed height | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 232 lb (105 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| High school | Ateneo de Manila (Quezon City, Philippines) | |||||||||||||
| NBA draft | 2022 / Undrafted | |||||||||||||
| Playing career | 2021–present | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–present | Adelaide 36ers | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
Medals
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Early life and education
Sotto was born on May 11, 2002, in Las Piñas, Philippines, to Ervin Sotto and Pamela Sotto (née Perlado). Sotto began playing basketball when he was four years old. Sotto began studying at Saint Francis of Assisi College to pursue his primary education.[1] He grew up idolizing basketball players Tim Duncan, June Mar Fajardo and Kristaps Porziņģis.
In March 2019, Sotto left Ateneo as a third-year high school student to move to the United States in an attempt to advance his basketball career.[2] In the United States, he continued his studies at the Miami School in Hamilton, Ohio while simultaneously dealing with commitments with The Skill Factory and NBA G League Ignite.[3] He graduated from Miami School in April 2021.[4]
Amateur career
High school career
In April 2016, Sotto entered the Ateneo de Manila High School and joined its junior basketball program, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets in Quezon City. In March 2018, he led his team to a UAAP Basketball Championship title juniors division and was named in the finals MVP after averaging 17 points, 13 rebounds and 6.3 blocks per game in three games.[5] In the following season, Sotto averaged 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game and earned UAAP juniors MVP honors.[6]
The Skill Factory
On November 9, 2019, Sotto announced that he would join The Skill Factory, a preparatory program based in Atlanta, Georgia.[7] In his debut one day later, he recorded 18 points and 12 rebounds in a 65–61 loss to IMG Academy.[8] On January 21, 2020, Sotto was named MVP of the King Invitational tournament, averaging 27 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 blocks and three assists in three games.[9] In February 15, 2020, he participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp held during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.[10][11]
U.S. college recruiting
In the United States, Sotto was considered a consensus four-star recruit by major recruiting services.[12] He was recruited by several NCAA Division I programs.[13] It was announced on May 13, 2020, that Sotto joined the NBA G League Ignite, forgoing his college eligibility.[14]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kai Sotto C | Las Piñas, Philippines | Ateneo de Manila (Philippines) | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) | 232 lb (105 kg) | — | |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: N/A Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 84 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals: 70 247Sports: 54 ESPN: 65 | ||||||
Sources:
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Professional career
On May 13, 2020, Sotto signed with the NBA G League and joined the NBA G League Ignite as part of the league's new developmental program operating outside its traditional team structure.[14][15] Ignite joined the 2020–21 season as part of the traditional team structure following the non-participation of several regular teams in a competition played inside a bio-secure bubble. However, Sotto was expected to miss several games with Ignite after he opted to play for the Philippine national team at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers given by logistical issues caused by COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions.[16] Despite being able to return to the United States, the NBA G League announced that it has reached a "mutual decision" that Sotto would not be able to rejoin Ignite.[17]
Due to Sotto joining Ignite, he is ineligible to play for a college team in NCAA Division I games. Overtime reportedly expressed interest for Sotto to join their basketball league, Overtime Elite.[18] He is also ineligible for the 2021 NBA draft, having recently graduated from high school in the same year and will only be able to join in 2022 at the earliest.[19]
Adelaide 36ers (2021–present)
On April 21, 2021, Sotto signed a contract to play for the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).[20] He was signed as a "Special Restricted Player", which means that he is treated the same way as a local player and is not subject to the NBL's import limit. Sotto is guaranteed two years in his contract with an option to play for the 36ers for a third year.[21]
On January 30, 2022, Sotto recorded 12 points, four rebounds, and one assist in 21 minutes of play, in an upset victory, 88–83 over the reigning champions and top-seeded Melbourne United.[22]
On April 28, Sotto declared for the 2022 NBA draft.[23] He worked out for multiple NBA teams but went undrafted.[24] He then switched agents and on July 29, he announced that he would return to play for Adelaide for a second straight year.[25]
On October 28, Sotto recorded a season-high 16 points and seven rebounds in a 99–70 loss to the New Zealand Breakers.[26]
On January 8, 2023, Sotto tied a season-high 16 points and put up five rebounds and two blocks in an 85–83 loss to the New Zealand Breakers.[27]
National team career
Junior national team
Sotto made his national team debut for the Philippines at the 2017 SEABA Under-16 Championship in Quezon City, Philippines. He averaged 16.8 points, 8.5 rebounds and three blocks per game, leading his team to a gold medal. Sotto registered 15 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks in an 83–62 win over Malaysia in the final.[28] In April 2018, he represented the Philippines at the FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship in Foshan, China, where he led his team to fourth place. Sotto averaged 16.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game and was named to the tournament's Mythical First Team.[29] He recorded 28 points, 21 rebounds and three blocks in a quarterfinal win over Japan, before recording 26 points, 21 rebounds and six blocks in a semifinal loss to China.[30] He led the event in rebounds and blocks per game, as well as player efficiency rating (21.5).[31] Sotto played for the Philippines at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Argentina, where he averaged 16.4 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. He led his team to 13th place, its best finish at the event. In a classification game win over Egypt, he had his best performance at the tournament, tallying 28 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks.[32] Sotto represented the Philippines at the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece, where his team finished in 14th place. He averaged 11.7 points and 7.9 rebounds, while tying with Ibou Dianko Badji for a tournament-high 3.1 blocks per game.[33]
Senior national team
Sotto was supposed to make a debut with the senior national team at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in early 2021 and went to the Philippines. However, due to logistical issues and abrupt hosting changes for the qualifiers caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Sotto had to return the United States to rejoin Ignite.[16]
On June 16, 2021, Sotto made it to the final 12 man lineup at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers.[34] The following year, he played in the fourth window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers.[35]
Career statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Led the league | |
NBL
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-22 | Adelaide | 23 | 2 | 15.3 | .508 | .385 | .687 | 4.5 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 7.5 |
Personal life
His father, Ervin Sotto, and his godfather, Ranidel de Ocampo, played basketball professionally in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).[36] Ervin Sotto stands 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) and Pamela Sotto stands 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m). He has two siblings.[37]
Awards and honors
UAAP
- UAAP Season 79 Juniors Rookie of the Year (2016)
- UAAP Season 80 Juniors Mythical Five (2017)
- UAAP Season 80 Juniors Finals MVP (2017)
- UAAP Season 81 Juniors MVP (2018)
- UAAP Season 81 Juniors Mythical Five (2018)
Australian National Basketball League
Philippine national team
- Gold medal at the 2017 SEABA Under-16 Championship
- 2017 FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship Mythical First Team
References
- ^ Celis, Beth (April 30, 2016). "Bright future ahead for Kai". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ Norman Riego (March 15, 2017). "Sotto family's move northward bears fruit as 6'11" Kai now rising in Katipunan". ABS-CBN Sports. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
- ^ Li, Matthew (April 2, 2021). "Kai Sotto gets high school diploma from Miami School". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
- ^ Leongson, Randolph (April 2, 2021). "Kai Sotto graduates high school in Ohio". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
- ^ Isaga, J. R. "Finals MVP Kai Sotto 'the happiest man in the Philippines' after Ateneo's title win". Rappler.com.
- ^ Naredo, Camille. "Ateneo's Kai Sotto is UAAP juniors MVP". news.abs-cbn.com.
- ^ Anolin, Jan Carlo (November 10, 2019). "Kai Sotto commits to Atlanta-based basketball org, posts double-double in debut game". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ "Kai Sotto posts double-double in TSF National debut". ABS-CBN Corporation. November 10, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ Giongco, Mark (January 22, 2020). "Kai Sotto wins MVP in Atlanta tournament". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ "2020 NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam, Davis Bertāns, Tacko Fall and Lauri Markkanen to coach top international prospects at sixth annual Basketball Without Borders Global Camp". pr.nba.com. February 7, 2020. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ Rush, Joel. "Kai Sotto Striving To Fulfill His Dream Of Becoming The Philippines' First Homegrown NBA Player". forbes.com. Retrieved March 31, 2020.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (January 24, 2020). "Kai Sotto ranked 68th, tagged as four-star recruit in ESPN US class of 2020". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ Jiwani, Rory (February 5, 2020). "Top colleges fight over Filipino basketball prodigy Kai Sotto". Olympic Channel. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ a b "Top International Prospect Kai Sotto Signs With NBA G League". gleague.nba.com. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
- ^ Lozada, Bong (May 15, 2020). "Kai Sotto G League deal worth $200K—report". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved July 16, 2020.
- ^ a b Morales, Luisa (February 14, 2021). "Ignite coach Brian Shaw tempers expectations ahead of Kai Sotto's US return". Philstar.com. Retrieved February 14, 2021.
- ^ Giongco, Mark (February 23, 2021). "NBA says Kai Sotto will no longer rejoin Ignite in G League bubble". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ Li, Matthew (April 5, 2021). "Is Overtime Elite next for Kai Sotto?". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 6, 2021.
- ^ Li, Matthew (April 21, 2021). "No hard feelings for Kai after being declared ineligible for 2021 NBA Draft". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ "Adelaide 36ers secure Kai Sotto for NBL22". NBL.com.au. April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ "Kai Sotto joining Adelaide 36ers of Australia's NBL on multi-year deal". ESPN.com. April 21, 2021. Retrieved April 21, 2021.
- ^ John Bryan Ulanday (January 30, 2022). "Kai Sotto, Adelaide 36ers upset reigning champions Melbourne United, 88-83". BusinessWorld. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ "Kai Sotto declares for 2022 NBA Draft". Inquirer.net. April 28, 2022.
- ^ "Kai Sotto's NBA draft quest falls short as teams pass on the Filipino prospect". ESPN. June 23, 2022. Retrieved June 24, 2022.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (July 29, 2022). "Kai Sotto returns to Adelaide 36ers in Australia's NBL". Philstar.com. Retrieved July 29, 2022.
- ^ Morales, Luisa (October 28, 2022). "Kai Sotto posts season-high but Adelaide 36ers lose to Breakers". philstar.com. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ Mendoza, Martin (January 8, 2023). "Kai Sotto ties season-high 16, but Adelaide suffers heartbreaker to NZ". rappler.com. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ Naredo, Camille B. (May 18, 2017). "Kai Sotto relishes first international basketball experience". ABS-CBN Corporation. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ "Sotto, Sun and Wigness lead the FIBA U16 Asian Championship Mythical Teams". FIBA. April 10, 2018. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Sarmenta, Yoyo (April 8, 2018). "Kai Sotto is most efficient player in FIBA U16 Asian Championship". ESPN. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Dioquino, Delfin (April 9, 2018). "Kai Sotto leads FIBA Asia U16 in 3 departments". Rappler. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Sarmenta, Yoyo (July 7, 2018). "Sotto powers Batang Gilas to first win in FIBA U17 World Cup". ESPN. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ Isaga, JR (July 8, 2019). "Kai Sotto finishes as top U19 blocker, Dave Ildefonso 9th in scoring". Rappler. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ "Kai Sotto makes final 12 for Gilas' game vs. Korea". ESPN.com. June 15, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2021.
- ^ Terrado, Reuben (September 3, 2022). "Cone sees similarities between Kai Sotto and Wang Zhizhi". Spin.ph. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
- ^ Terrado, Jonas (March 27, 2019). "Kai off to US on a quest to make it to the NBA". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved May 11, 2020.
- ^ Snow Badua (April 11, 2016). "Kai Sotto, 13 and already 6-foot-9, dreams of making it to NBA, idolizes Kevin Garnett". Spin.ph. Retrieved May 18, 2017.
External links
- Kai Sotto at FIBA
- Kai Sotto at Eurobasket.com
- Kai Sotto at RealGM
- Kai Sotto at Proballers
- Kai Sotto at Basketball-Reference.com