AS the NBA Summer League winds down, Gilas Pilipinas expects Kai Sotto to finally come on board training camp in Manila by next week.
National coach Chot Reyes disclosed that as per his talks with the camp of the 7-foot-3 NBA hopeful, Sotto should already be here by July 18 to start practicing with the men’s team as it prepares for the coming FIBA World Cup.
READ: Kai Sotto starts tentatively, finishes strong in Magic debut
Sotto’s stint in the Summer League with the Orlando Magic ends on Sunday (July 16) against the Boston Celtics at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas.
“Si Kai July 18 ang usapan namin nandito na siya,” said Reyes. “Dapat nandito na siya sa practice (by July 18).”
The impending arrival of the 21-year-old Filipino comes on the heels of his debut game in the Summer League on Friday where he finished with six points, four rebounds, and three block shots in an 88-71 loss to the Portland Trailblazers.
The entry of Sotto will give him at least two weeks to familiarize himself again to the Gilas system before the team travels to China on the first week of August to play a mini pocket tournament against the national teams of Lebanon, Iran, and Senegal.
Hopefully too, Reyes said, naturalized player Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz, would be able to join the national team in the China training camp.
“Yun ang plano,” said Reyes. “We expect and hope that it will happen.”
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