Kai Sotto On the Rise!

Kai Sotto, that gentle giant who has found himself a special spot in the Philippine National Basketball Team named Gilas, has been improving his game lately. Having returned to the highly-competitive world of Japan’s B-League, he has been contributing consistently for the Koshigaya Alphas. And reports have it that he is now in the radar of NBA scouts in search for tall durable talents who can bang bodies with the big bad behemoths in the NBA.

To those who don’t follow Pinoy basketball much, Kai Zachary Sotto is a 22-year old Filipino professional basketball star playing in the Japanese pro league. At 7’3″, he is known as the 2nd tallest Pinoy to ever play the game. He is a mainstay of the Gilas team that has made so much progress under present coach Tim Cone, collecting surprising first-ever victories over taller, bigger and better-rated teams such as Latvia and New Zealand this year. The son of Ervin Sotto, a former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player, Kai played high school ball in the US, and signed with the NBA G-League Ignite in 2020 at the age of 18. He further honed his skills in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) as a member of the Adelaide 36ers. He went undrafted in the 2022 NBA draft, but this has proven providential as he would be able to get more playing time and more experience with Japan’s B-League.

Kai Sotto has shown significant improvement in his game this year, particularly under coach Tim Cone’s system. Under coach Tim’s tutelage, Kai’s development in key areas such as scoring efficiency, passing, rebounding, and defensive presence has been a pleasant surprise. Kai thrives in an offensive program that emphasizes ball movement, pick-and-roll dynamics and spacing. This allows him to leverage his height and agility effectively. In coach Tim’s triangle offense, Kai continues to learn to make quick decisions depending on how the opposing team reacts. Blending that with the basic pick-and-roll, Kai can use his size to set solid screens, rolling to the basket to finish with lobs or layups. His ability to shoot from mid-range and beyond also stretches the defense, creating more opportunities and open lanes for drives. This versatility makes him a valuable asset in an offense that focuses on ball movement and player spacing.

Additionally, Kai’s footwork and positioning in the post have improved, enabling him to score effectively against defenders. An offensive scheme that incorporates occasional isolation plays also allows him to utilize his size against smaller defenders, creating mismatches. Overall, Kai excels in systems that combine traditional big-man play with modern spacing and ball movement. This will maximize his strengths and allow him to contribute significantly to his team’s offense. Kai is an example of a Gen-Z player playing in a slowly-evolving league that is still predominantly controlled by Millenials.

Indeed, Kai has shown significant development in his game this year. This is evidenced by his recent statistics in Japan’s B-League. He has been averaging a robust double-double in scoring and rebounding with the Koshigaya Alphas.

But the team still has a long way to go in the standings. If he wants to bring his team to a higher plane, if he dreams of making it to the NBA, Kai will need to focus on several key areas for improvement.

First, he needs to continue to enhance his physical strength and conditioning. Kai is a reed-thin player who will need to beef up. While he possesses the height and skill, increased muscle mass will help him bang bodies against stronger opponents both in the offense and defense.

Next, he will need to hone his perimeter and 3-point shooting efficiency. While he has shown his ability to shoot from range, the consistency isn’t there yet. Hence, opponents would rather collapse their defense on him when he has the ball outside, giving up the free outside shot rather than a drive to the basket. He has however been showing more confidence in taking the outside shot when opposing players give him the open shot.

Defensively, he will need to improve his lateral quickness. Taller players are generally weaker with their footwork; and Kai will certainly be better defensively if he improves this part of his game. The NBA features quicker, more agile players, and Kai needs to be ready to defend pick-and-roll situations more effectively. He must be ready to cover the wings should his wingmen be busy elsewhere.

He also needs to develop his basketball IQ for even faster decision-making. His present stint with coach Tim will surely help him. Coach Tim’s system encourages players to develop a better understanding of offensive and defensive schemes. And this should be a big help to Kai in adapting to the fast-paced world of higher leagues such as the NBA.

Finally, Kai needs to assert himself on the court even more. If Kai is to be a force to reckon with, he will need to be bold in demanding the ball more often. He can thrive as the focal element in Coach Tim’s triangle offense. He can set screens, dish out pinpoint passes or go for pocket rolls to make more varied offensive patterns.

Kai has done much to improve his game. His stint right now with Japan’s B-League is giving him more experience to take it to the next level. He is a willing student, and has shown a humility and desire to learn more and be better. By addressing these areas, he will surely bolster his chances significantly in his quest to reach that dream: to be the first homegrown Pinoy to make it to the NBA.

Cover photo courtesy of The Game. Other photos courtesy of Inquirer Sports, Spin.ph, Japan Forward, Abante, Tiebreaker Times, One Sports and The Post.