As scheduled, Kai Sotto is set to arrive in the country on Tuesday.
Wasserman Sports’ Tony Ronzone confirmed the development on CNN Sportsdesk on Monday evening.
“He is on his way back to Manila.
“He is just a loyal, great kid and he loves your country. You have a very proud 7-foot-3 man who is flying back in Manila,” said the former Dallas Mavericks executive.
Ronzone though has one request for the fans who want the 7-foot-3 Filipino to immediately plunge into action with Gilas.
The seasoned agent is hoping that they give Sotto some time to rest.
“He needs some days rest. He has been going non-stop for two years.
“For a 7-3 body, that’s tough. For him, just take some rest, get his back right, and get proper rest and get the motivation back,” he shared.
Since joining Adelaide in 2021, he has never stopped playing and traveling.
Sotto played for three years with the 36ers before joining the Hiroshima Dragons last February.
During those times, he also went back home multiple times to play for Gilas.
On the Right Track
(C) Orlando Magic
To cap his season, Sotto joined Orlando in the 2023 NBA Summer League.
The 21-year-old only played in two games for the Magic with his last game being cut short due to back spasms.
Despite the limited playing time Sotto saw, Ronzone stressed that it’s all part of the journey for him.
Yes, he firmly believes that the NBA dream is not yet dead.
“I would say, he made Filipinos very proud. He made a presence on the floor. Played in a big arena with a lot of fans. There were 300 general managers from all over the world. Kai did very, very well. For him to keep his composure, the Filipinos should be proud of his attitude. He patiently waited his turn,” he said.
“People should understand, he just turned 21 last month. He is playing against NBA roster players that are young. Most of these players are 23. He is still young and this is his first opportunity to play on a big stage where he is around pros, learning the system. This is all a learning experience for Kai and he has a lot of opportunities,” he continued.
“This is just the start of his journey.”
What Sotto needs to do is to continue bulking up, especially when he enters his second season in the B.League.
After all, Japan’s premier league has also started to gain attention from NBA scouts as well.
“Every young player, especially bigs, their body develops later. He has to get stronger. When you are going against NBA bodies that are 25 to 28 years old, they are just bigger and stronger. He gets pushed around a little bit. But that’s going to come in due time,” he shared.
“It just takes time.”
