THE Philippine national basketball team star centre Kai Sotto signed with the Australian National Basketball League’s (NBL) Adelaide 36ers recently in a multi-year deal to start with the NBL 2021-2022 season.
At 7ft 2in (218cm) tall, weighing 232 pounds (105 kg), and only 18 years old, Kai (pictured in white) has attracted significant interest in world basketball.
The 36ers announced Kai had signed for two seasons, with an option for a third, after months of discussions between the team, Kai and his agent Joel Bell.
It said Kai had signed under the NBL’s Special Restricted Player rule provision allowing the 36ers and the League to continue building on strong relationships within the FIBA Asian region.
Already an emerging figure within the Philippine national team program, Kai’s decision to head to Adelaide is based on his desire to develop his game over coming seasons with the 36ers and the NBL the place he believes that will be best done.
After a period training with the National Basketball Association (NBA) G-League Ignite Team in the USA, Kai has been based in Florida, working out with players with past NBA experience as well as strength and conditioning coaches in readiness for the 2021/22 NBL season.
“We are delighted to welcome Kai, both to the Club and the City of Adelaide,” said 36ers chairman Grant Kelley.
“Attracting a player of Kai’s potential from Asia, and more recently the United States, to Adelaide will only enhance the Club’s reputation for identifying and developing elite basketball talent.”
General manager of basketball Jeff Van Groningen added: “Kai realises that he has work ahead of him as all rookies do when coming in to this tough league, but his combination of height and developing skill-set give him every chance to raise his game. With hard work, his ceiling for growth is very high.”
NBL commissioner Jeremy Loeliger said: “We are delighted to welcome Kai to the NBL to play with the Adelaide 36ers. The NBL is one of the best leagues in the world and a great league to develop players like Kai Sotto who want to take their game to the next level by playing alongside seasoned professional players in a super competitive league.”
Kai is expected to arrive in Adelaide later this year for pre-season training as the Adelaide 36ers prepare for the 2021/22 season.
* Kai Zachary Perlado Sotto was born in May 11, 2002 in Las Pinas, Philippines, to parents to Ervin Sotto and Pamela Sotto (nee Perlado). He played with the Ateneo de Manila high school Blue Eaglets in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) and represented the Philippine national basketball team in several youth tournaments.
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