Ahead of the 2022 NBA Draft, the Filipino basketball player, Kai Sotto, is already making moves toward becoming the first pure-Filipino basketball player to be ever drafted in the NBA. As of now, the 20-year-old big man is currently preparing to meet some NBA teams before the draft combine.
Last month, Sotto announced that he will be joining the 2022 Rookie Draft that will take place on June 23, 2022. The 7-foot center previously played for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia. Although Sotto was given limited minutes, the young gun showed huge potential and a very high ceiling.
- His impeccable shooting and outstanding defensive capabilities made him stand out in the crowd, not to mention he stands at about 7 feet and 3 inches and has a wingspan of 7 feet and 5 inches.
- Throughout his 23 games in NBL, he’s been averaging a decent 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 50% from the field and 39% from behind the arc with just 15 minutes of action.
- As early as now, he’s already getting comparisons to players like Kristaps Porzingis and basketball legend Rik Smits. Kai is currently training in Atlanta and will be meeting with at least 12 teams before the combine.
Kai Sotto’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- The Filipino phenom is quick and agile for his size which makes him an asset both in offense and defense
- Kai is a 7-footer who can score at will if given the ball either in the post or on the perimeter
- He’s a great rim protector and post defender
- His shooting is very impressive for a big man
Weaknesses
- If Kai gets in the NBA, he will go up to some of the best big men in the league like Embiid, Antetokounmpo, Jokic, Gobert, Adebayo, and more. By that, he definitely needs to add muscle and lower body strength for him to be able to hold his ground against these strong big men.
- He needs to add more finesse to his finishing skills. He’s a good shooter, but his finishing touch is yet to be polished
- Basketball is more than just being athletic, it also needs a lot of intelligence. Though Sotto is already showing great promise, he also needs to prepare mentally.
- As mentioned above, Sotto can score if the ball is in his hands. The thing is, he needs to be able to make an impact without touching the ball.
Earlier this week, NBA already announced the top 14 lottery picks in the upcoming draft.
1. Orlando Magic
2. Oklahoma City Thunder
3. Houston Rockets
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. New Orleans Pelicans (via Los Angeles Lakers)
9. San Antonio Spurs
10. Washington Wizards
11. New York Knicks
12. Oklahoma City Thunder (via Los Angeles Clippers)
13. Charlotte Hornets
14. Cleveland Cavaliers
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Teams That Could Pick Kai Sotto
Golden State Warriors
- The Warriors are widely known to improve all of their homegrown drafted talents. From unknown names to becoming some of the NBA’s best players, GSW prides itself in creating not just all-stars, but even superstars.
- Also, the Dubs require an agile and versatile big man who can defend the rim and has a reliable jump shot. Sounds very much like our very own Kai Sotto.
Atlanta Hawks
- As we speak, Sotto is already training in Atlanta, which means, the Hawks could be eyeing this talented young man. Perhaps they need someone to be Capela’s backup in the future.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Thanks to Sam Presti’s brilliance, OKC has a lot of future draft picks in the NBA. The Thunder could be the perfect training ground for Kai as he can show his true potential with such a young team.
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