CHICAGO - In the ongoing saga of helping his son fulfill the childhood dream of becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it in the NBA, Ervin Sotto has assumed more roles than Leonardo DiCaprio.
Point man, Close confidant. Motivator-in-chief.
But as a devastating pandemic sweeps across the globe, shuttering all non-essential establishments in the US including basketball gyms and workout facilities, the shy, soft-spoken Ervin has taken another assignment.
Personal trainer to Kai Sotto.
"Ako muna ang trainer nya (I'm his trainer for now)," he says with a laugh via text message early today.

"Four times a week every morning we do jog, buti dito sa place namin meron pataas na lugar so mas maganda para kay Kai para lumakas 'yung katawan niya. Tapos we do speed and agility drills sa kanya. Di pa kami nag court medyo nakakatakot dito 'yung virus dito sa Georgia." (It's a good thing that our place here has an elevated area that would allow Kai to strengthen his body. We also do speed and agility drills but we haven't gotten on-court time yet because the virus is so scary).
The Sotto clan, basketball royalty in the Philippines, is currently nestled somewhere around Atlanta, sheltering in a safe place as the coronavirus grips the state of Georgia with 20,166 infected cases and 818 deaths, according to The Atlanta Constitution Journal.
Before the world turned upside down, Kai was charting his career course at The Skill Factory along 140 Chastain Park Ave. NW. His sharp ascent has been well-documented, earning him an invite to join the Basketball Without Borders (BWB) camp in Chicago where the world' best high school prospects converged.
But now that the playbook has been temporarily closed, the only play Kai is adhering to safety.
Washing hands. Wearing masks if needed. And social distancing from the rest of the world.

Through all the madness, "the family is doing great," Ervin assures Kai's fans and well-wishers back home.
"One month na kami nag wo-work-out. Doble ingat lang kami, so 'pag may kailangan sa bahay kami lang ng Mom ni Kai ang nalabas," (We've been working out for a month now and exercising extra caution. If we need stuff for the house, only me and Kai's mom go out to get it) Ervin added.
The nutritional aspect of Kai's growth as an elite basketball player is not an issue. Not only are the food supplies bursting, the cooking is superb, arguably better than Filipino restaurant quality.
Ervin had a modest and respectable PBA career. But he got nothing on his wife when it comes to turning the kitchen into a wonderland. Pamela knows her way around the skillet and she can cross over Ervin on the way to the oven.
"Parang grocery store nga 'tong bahay sa dami ng pagkain. Masipag kasi magluto ang mom ni Kai kaya kailangan madami reserba pangluto (Our house is like a grocery store with all these food. Kai's mom cooks a lot so we need an abundant reserve)," Ervin Sotto.
Last Monday, per CNN, Georgia governor Fred Kemp announced the reopening of some businesses to include barber shops, nail salons, and gyms.
But with deaths rising in Atlanta, the state's biggest city, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, is threatening legal action to keep the lockdown in force. A potential legal tug-of-war is brimming, further complicating an already complicated COVID-19 crisis.
Meanwhile, the Sottos will continue to thrive. They've come so far to stop now.
Setbacks and roadblocks are a pain in the ass.
But once plucked, these obstacles only make success sweeter.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph