Sotto Compared to All-Time Great of Asian Basketball

It can be hard to fathom the number of eyes that turn to Kai Sotto every time he takes to the court. Whether he’s wearing the colours of the Adelaide 36ers or the Philippines, he holds the hopes of an entire nation’s basketball future whenever he steps onto the hardwood.

The 20-year-old centre has carved a crucial niche for himself in the 36ers’ team this season. Backing up veteran centre Daniel Johnson and import big Robert Franks, Sotto provides elite rim protection and an emerging offensive game to an Adelaide side that only seems to be getting better week in, week out.

After winning the NBL Fan’s MVP award last season many were expecting Sotto to make the leap to the NBA, however he went undrafted and returned to the City of Churches to further work on his game.

Adelaide coach CJ Bruton still holds the belief his young star can make it to the big show.

“Kai Sotto is a promising player when he puts it all together,” Bruton said on the upcoming episode of UNRIVALLED: INSIDE NBL23.

“Not everyone gets drafted, but it’s not the end of the world … he talks to right way like most kids in this competition, but now you need to play the right way and do it for yourself.

“He’s still learning. Kai is going to keep evolving, keep developing, and he’s going to help us get to where we need to go.

“Yao Ming is big in China, and Kai Sotto is the Philippines’ version of Yao Ming.”

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Comparing Sotto to the greatest player to ever come out of Asia is a big call – especially considering Yao’s status as the number one draft pick back in 2002.

Bruton though is alluding to the impact Sotto has on the raucous basketball fanbase that exists within the Philippines, and what his continued commitment to representing the national team means to those who support his homeland.

“In terms of representing my country, that’s been my goal ever since I started playing basketball,” Sotto said.

“I watched the national team when I was really young and I just saw how they succeeded, how they inspired a lot of kids my age and how they inspired a lot of people.

“I think that’s one of our biggest goals wherever I go, to represent my country well and inspire other people that they can achieve great things as well.”

Episode three of UNRIVALLED: INSIDE NBL23 drops Friday at 7pm AEDT on ESPN.