Kai Sotto, NBA Summer League teammates told: Play hard, fast, right

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey – Orlando Magic Summer League coach Dylan Murphy sent a strong message to Kai Sotto and the rest of the squad before their first game tips off Saturday night (Sunday morning, Manila time). 

“Just playing hard and fast for us. And I think the last thing, just know you're representing ourselves, yourselves and the Orlando Magic organization. So, carrying yourself the right way, playing the right way [and] maintaining a positive attitude throughout the whole thing,” said Murphy of his message to the team after wrapping up their final practice on Friday (Saturday Manila time) in Las Vegas. 

The moment of reckoning for Sotto has arrived. 

see you there ???? pic.twitter.com/4JP2La3730

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) July 6, 2023

The 7-foot-3 Sotto will be thrown into the fire right in his first game as he goes up against the Detroit Pistons’ twin towers — 7-foot-center James Wiseman and 6-foot-11 Jalen Duren. 

Wiseman is the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, while Duren, taken 11th overall last year, was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second team during his rookie year. 

Wiseman finished the season strong after he arrived in Detroit via a midseason trade from his former team Golden State Warriors. The 22-year-old big man averaged 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds for the Pistons. He logged in six double-doubles in 24 games with them. 

The 19-year-old Duren appeared in 61 games, including 31 starts during his rookie season, averaging 9.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists. 

They will provide a litmus test for Sotto, who played in Australia and Japan after going undrafted in last year’s draft. 

Murphy, who was also named the new coach of Oscalea Magic, the team’s G League affiliate, is as excited as the team rookies, including Sotto, and especially their lottery picks Anthony Black and Jett Howard, for their Summer League debut. 

“They've earned this opportunity,” Murphy said. “All the work they've done up until this point, they've had a great attitude, energy, willing learners, very coachable. Kind of how [Magic president Jeff Weltman] and [Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley] have talked about — just great young men that have high IQ and want to do things the right way. So, I'm really excited for them to have this chance to finally get back to playing some five-on-five.”

Sotto last played in May in Japan’s B. League. He had a taste of the NBA when his former NBL team, Adelaide 36ers, played a pair of exhibition games against the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Phoenix Suns in October last year. 

Sotto held his own against Suns center Deandre Ayton, the 2018 No. 1 pick. He finished with 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting and 4-of-4 trip at the line with one 3-pointer. He added two rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes to help the 36ers stun the Suns 134-124. 

Sotto needs to bring that fire to impress the Magic and the 29 other teams whose scouts and executives are all over the Summer League. 

Magic Summer League Schedule: 

July 8 vs. Detroit 5:30 p.m. (July 9 5:30 a.m. Manila time) ESPN

July 10 vs. Indiana 8:30 p.m. (July 11 8:30 a.m. Manila time) NBA TV

July 12 vs. New York 8 p.m. (July 13 8 a.m. Manila time) ESPN

July 13 vs. Portland 9 p.m. (July 14 9 a.m. Manila time) ESPN2

Fifth Game TBD (to be determined)

--

Alder Almo is a former senior sportswriter for Philstar.com and NBA.com Philippines. He is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and writes for the New York-based website Heavy.com.