It was not just meant to be once again for the millions of Filipinos that watched the 2022 NBA Rookie Draft.
Just like in 2015 when Bobby Ray Parks Jr. entered the same proceedings, the hours went by. And as 58 names were called up, none of which was Kai Sotto.
At the end of the night, the 20-year-old, 7-foot-3 big man out of Ateneo High School went undrafted.
“I can’t really explain the feeling,” said Sotto to News5, clearly trying to fight off his disappointment, “but it’s not a good feeling obviously.
“I really worked hard, I really did my best to get here. But you know, it is what happened,” he continued. “And I believe, God has better plans for me.
“I won’t stop.”
It was a disappointing turn of events for Sotto but somewhat expected.
Sotto only had private workouts with teams and was not invited to either the Draft Combine or the G League Elite camp.
Last year, Sotto ended up playing for NBL team Adelaide, averaging 7.52 points on 50-percent shooting with 4.48 rebounds.
A year before that, he was part of G League Ignite’s inaugural team but never played an official game with them.
Photo by KU Athletics
Also not as fortunate was Remy Martin, a Filipino-American who led Kansas to the 2022 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.
The 6-foot guard, who owns a Philippine passport, was hailed as the most outstanding player of the Midwest Regional.
Martin, 24, averaged 8.63 points, 3.03 rebounds, and 2.53 assists in his lone year with the Jayhawks.
Also going undrafted were two Americans with Filipino heritage in Ron Harper Jr. of Rutgers and Boogie Ellis of USC.
Harper was given a two-way contract by Toronto later in the evening.
Both Harper and Ellis don’t have Philippine passports.
At the end of the night, the wait continues for the Philippines to produce a homegrown talent that would be drafted into the biggest league in the world.
