Pinoy basketball fans are agog over Kai Sotto as he chases his “ultimate dream” of playing in the NBA.
The 19-year-old Sotto announced early Thursday that he will be joining the 2022 NBA Rookie Draft, after one season of playing for the Adelaide 36ers in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).
Among those thrilled of the prospects is former Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin.
Baldwin, the head coach of Ateneo de Manila University, had the opportunity to mentor Sotto during the build-up to the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers in June 2021. Sotto was called up to the Gilas Pilipinas team that played against South Korea and Indonesia in a bubble in Pampanga, and he averaged 9.3 points and seven rebounds while playing nearly 19 minutes per game in three contests — all wins for the Philippines.
“I’m excited for him,” Baldwin said when asked about his reaction to Sotto’s decision.
Baldwin, who was replaced by Chot Reyes as Gilas coach in March this year, acknowledged that he is not in the position to assess whether or not Sotto will eventually be drafted by an NBA team.
“Kai and his people know much better what his standing is with the NBA teams. I’m sure they’ve been in touch with teams,” he said.
Rather, the coach said he shares in the excitement of Filipinos who welcomed the news of Sotto’s entry into the NBA Rookie Draft. Sotto has long carried the hopes and dreams of the basketball-crazed country on his shoulders, as many feel that he can be the first homegrown Filipino to play in the NBA.
Right now, there are two players of Filipino heritage in the league — Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz and Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets.
