Sotto skips college ball for G League

MANILA, Philippines — Kai Sotto, the next big thing in Philippine basketball, took the next big step leading to a dream NBA stint as he opted to pass up on college ball to join the NBA G League.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the gangling 7-foot-2 prodigy made the decision on his 18th birthday last Monday, becoming the first international prospect to hook up with the NBA’s minor league organization.

The elite group of what is billed as the sport’s next batch of superstars includes guard Jalen Green, a Fil-American swingman who saw action in the 2018-19 National Basketball Training Center League National Finals and the All-Star Games at the MOA Arena, and high school stalwarts Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd.

The four will banner G League’s select squad in Southern California in the program which serves as an avenue for top prospects who opt to skip college before they enter the NBA.

Sotto is a four-star recruit who comes in at No. 62 overall on ESPN’s 2020 rankings topped by Green. The former Ateneo junior, eager to hone his skills and talent, went to the US last year and joined The Skill Factory, a prep program based in Atlanta.

He was actually on the radar of top colleges in the US, including Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Auburn and USC. But after weighing his options, his camp decided he’s ready to turn pro and eventually pursue an NBA career.

Sotto has impressed some top ESPN analysts at the Basketball Without Borders Camp where he reportedly stood out in drills even “as he struggled to make his presence felt in the games,” according to Hoops Rumors.

Another ESPN scouting report said the agile Sotto has a versatile skill set given his size with good ball handling skills and a shooting touch from the long range.

Other observers viewed Sotto and the G League Select Team as a good fit, pointing out that taking a project like Sotto would allow the program to prove it’s capable of developing new prospects.