Sotto is ready to wait

MANILA, Philippines — Like a pro that he is, Kai Sotto will wait for his elusive chance to show his worth in the NBA Summer League.

After two straight DNP-CDs (Did not play – Coach’s Decision), the 7-foot-3 Filipino pride is preaching patience as he vowed to stay ready for when his number is finally called by the Orlando Magic.

“I’m just trying to show the coaches that I’m a good teammate and I’m a good player. I’ll be ready whenever they call my name. I’ll be the positive guy on the bench,” Sotto said in the video posted by NBA Philippines. “I’m just like a sponge, man. I’m just trying to learn from everybody, from all the things that’s happening to us.”

Sotto, the tallest in Orlando’s 22-man roster, is one of the highly-anticipated players in the Summer League, especially by passionate Filipino fans in Las Vegas and around the world.

A bevy of Pinoy supporters showed up at the Thomas and Mack Arena on Tuesday only to see no action from their 21-year-old kababayan after another benching by the Magic in a lopsided 108-85 loss to the Indiana Pacers.

Chants of “We want Sotto!” erupted in the arena in the middle of the match but Sotto was still not fielded as Orlando fell to 0-2 after an 89-78 loss to the Detroit Pistons over the weekend.

Sotto, who went undrafted last year before gaining another shot to become the first Filipino homegrown player in the NBA with an invite from the Magic, could not be grateful enough for the unwavering support and faith from the Filipino fans.

“I feel like everywhere I go I represent the Philippines, so I just have to be aware of my actions,” he beamed.