IS Kai Sotto planning to revisit an old path in his bid to make it to the NBA?
With the US NCAA finally relaxing its strict rules on amateurism, word is going aroun that the 7-foot-3 Sotto is planning to take the school route by enrolling in an American college program in the hope of getting noticed by NBA scouts and agents.
Sources in the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) first disclosed the Gilas Pilipinas big man's alleged desire to pursue a college degree - a route he chose to bypass when he first went to the US in 2019 to pursue his dream of becoming the first ever full-blooded Filipino to play in the biggest stage of professional basketball.
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“He’s now preparing for the NBA again and he’s preparing to join a college team,” said the SBP official.
The move should be bold to say the least, since it would force the 23-year old Sotto to abandon a flourishing and well-paying career in the Japan B.League to go back to school, in the hope of convincing scouts that he's NBA worthy.
But the route is open if he wants to take it.
Just recently, the NCAA opened its door for pro players including those who had G. League experience, to be eligible to play and compete in college.
Under the rules, players who have not signed an NBA contract, draftees who didn’t play in an official game, or those who are within five years of their high school graduation are the ones qualified to enroll and play. Sotto qualifies under those terms.
Among the recent case involving pro players now in the US NCAA include Thierry Darlan, who was with the Ignite team in the G. League before joining Sta. Clara, and James Nnaji, the 7-foot Nigerian picked No. 31st overall by Detroit in the 2023 draft, but is now playing for Baylor.
Kai going back to school?
Sotto, the SBP sources said, is looking to become the latest to join this trend after previously seeing action with the Ignite team in 2020 where he had for his teammates now NBA players Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga.
In high school he suited up for Ateneo where he won a UAAP juniors basketball championship and an MVP award, though he left the institution in his third year and instead finished secondary school at the Miami School after deciding to go to the US seven years ago.
Sotto was initially recruited by top US college basketball program such as Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Auburn, DePaul, and University of Southern California. He shunned all of these offers and instead, signed with the Ignite team with hopes of fast-tracking his NBA dream.
Sotto later applied in the 2022 draft, but wasn’t selected.
He then signed up with the Australian National Basketball League, and then played in the 2023 NBA Summer League for the Orlando Magic – with both stints failing to convince scouts about Sotto deserving of a place in the premier professional basketball league in the world.
Now, Sotto, the sources said, may retrace those steps and try to enter the NBA via the backdoor.
“Gusto niyang mag-aral ulit. Bata pa naman siya,” said the source. “His plans remain going towards the NBA. And he probably has a chance to play in the NBA if he plays college basketball.”
But is he really taking that risky route?
Sotto's camp is silent about the matter, but insiders were incredulous when asked about the matter, just as they were when news was leaked prior to Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in the last Fiba window that part of the reason Kai sat out was because he was waiting for a possible short-term contract in the NBA.
One insider in Sotto's camp was more blunt, calling the idea of Sotto uprooting himself from the B.League to once again gamble in the US, where he can only hope NIL money from the NCAA can cover for the Japan yen lost a 'crazy idea.'
Asked about the matter, SBP president Ricky Vargas said the federation is all about supporting Sotto’s NBA dream. At the same time, Vargas said he hopes that wherever than journey will take him, Sotto will continue to hold Gilas among his priorities.
“Ang pangrarap niya, ay pangarap din natin,” said Vargas. “Yun din naman ang pangarap namin para sa kanya. Napakalaking bagay na we have a Filipino in the NBA.”
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