Kai Sotto’s move to Division I program Texas A&M will not push through after his transfer was flagged by the NCAA.
According to a report by the Philippine Star’s Quinito Henson, Sotto’s move to the Aggies will not proceed due to an eligibility issue stemming from the NCAA’s new rules governing players who have competed professionally.
Under the new regulations, a prospective student-athlete will not have their college eligibility reinstated if they entered an agreement with, competed for, or received compensation from a team in a league where the minimum guaranteed compensation exceeds actual and necessary expenses.
(C) B.League
Sotto has already built a professional résumé overseas, beginning with the Adelaide 36ers in Australia’s NBL, where he played from 2021 to 2023.
The 7-foot-3 center then moved to Japan, suiting up for Hiroshima Dragonflies, Yokohama B-Corsairs, and most recently, Koshigaya Alphas in the B.League.
Those moves leave Sotto with fewer options in Japan as B.League One teams generally do not offer the same level of compensation as their Premier counterparts.
The B.League Premier has already filled its Asian Quota slots across its teams, with Kyoto recently signing Mike Phillips, Nagoya acquiring Quentin Millora-Brown, and Shimane bringing in Mark Alkhoury.
Those moves leave Sotto with fewer opportunities in Japan’s top division should he decide to continue his professional career there.
Taiwan’s professional leagues and the Korean Basketball League also remain possible destinations, although they generally offer lower compensation compared to B.League Premier teams.
