Kai Sotto not taken in momentous NBA draft picks

B.B., June 27, 2022

DREAM ON. Kai Sotto vows to reach harder and farther toward his goal of playing in the NBA. (Photo Courtesy of Adelaide 36ers FB Page)

The wait continues for Filipinos to see a homegrown talent in the world’s top basketball league after Kai Sotto was left out of the NBA draft selection on Thursday, June 23 (Friday, June 24, Manila time) at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

With only 58 picks total instead of its usual 60, Sotto faced a stiffer competition which ended with his name not being called out by Commissioner Adam Silver and his deputy, Mark Tatum on draft night.

The 7-foot-3 big man had his chances with Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Chicago Bulls, and other teams he worked out with prior to the draft before they eventually decided on other prospects.

Despite putting his best foot forward, Sotto flew under the radar with him absent in most scouting reports and left off the Draft Combine.

Earlier this year, he declared his bid for NBA after his stint with Adelaide 36ers in Australia’s National Basketball League where he averaged 7.52 points on 50 percent shooting with 4.48 rebounds.

This batch saw Paolo Banchero as the overall first pick by the Orlando Magic, followed by Chet Holmgren going to the Oklahoma City Thunder at two, while Jabari Smith was selected by the Houston Rockets at three.

Not the end of the road

WATCH: Interview with Kai Sotto after the #NBADraft2022. (Video Courtesy of TV5)

Kai Sotto’s lone career shot as the first full-blooded Filipino to play in the NBA may have hit a setback but is far from over.

“This is just a speed bump,” Sotto told News5 minutes after the NBA draft came to a close, shrugging off the feelings of disappointment after the draft letdown.

“We didn’t get to Plan A, but we got Plan B. It’s not going to stop me. It’s not a signal for me to stop, but to keep on going,” he said.

Moving forward, the 20-year-old has multiple options to enter an NBA roster such as going to the NBA G League or returning to the Australian NBL. Also on the table is the NBA Summer League.

For Sotto, now an unrestricted free agent who can sign with any team, the focus is to choose the best available setting to further hone his skills.

“My development is always the number 1 priority. I’m only 20 years old so I still have a lot of room to grow and develop, to improve,” he said.

“The next step, I really have to think with my family. I just have to do everything to get better, to reach my dreams.”

Pinoys rally support

Filipino basketball fans quickly took to social media to rally behind Kai Sotto after his NBA bid fell short.

Celebrities like eight-division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao and basketball analyst Charles Tiu also pitched in support for the former Ateneo highschool star.

Even though the long, agonizing NBA draft wait ended on a bad note, Sotto thanked Filipino fans for their unwavering support, vowing to leave no stone unturned to fulfill his NBA dream.

Meanwhile, three other players with Filipino heritage went unselected: Remy Martin of the University of Kansas, Boogie Ellis of USC, and Ron Harper Jr. out of Rutgers.

However, Harper immediately signed a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

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