CHICAGO - Under the backdrop of Jordan Clarkson's twinkling NBA star plus the crowd-pleasing turn of energizer wing Rhenz Abando, it was a challenge for any other Gilas Pilipinas player to shine in the FIBA World Cup 2023.
But quietly, despite playing alongside equally-competent bigs in June Mar Fajardo and AJ Edu, Kai Sotto put together a brilliant effort.
After a miniscule 73-second stint in the tournament opener versus the Dominican Republic, Sotto finished the World Cup with a total harvest of 32 points, 20 rebounds, 4 blocks and 3 assists.
READ: Gilas drubs China to end rocky World Cup campaign on high note
His best games were against China (12 points, 6 rebounds) and against South Sudan (8 points, 5 rebounds and 3 blocks). In those encounters, he also logged the exposure, a combined 42 minutes and 53 seconds.
"I'm always ready to play. I think I showed I can make an impact when given the minutes," Kai said via text message.
If so, then why just 73 seconds versus Angola and 7:32 against the Italians?
"Kai was used wrong in that tournament. He could have easily averaged 12 points, six rebounds and four blocks had his strengths been maximized. He would have been great in some pick-and-pop action," a veteran international coach told me.
STILL, KAI OVERPERFORMED THE MINUTES HE WAS GIVEN.
All told, the 7-foot-3 former NBL and current Japan B.League slotman, averaged 6.4 points, 4 rebounds and 1 block in 12 minutes and 22 seconds of floor time per game.
Playing time will always be a challenge in a 12-man setting where only 8 or 9 are ultimately getting the bulk of it. Yet throughout his quest to be in the rotation, Kai never complained.
When he wasn't on the floor, Kai funneled his energy towards cheering and motivating his teammates. Patiently, he waited for his time, pun intended, to come. And that's how pros behave.
Clearly, Kai Sotto, whose career has been peered through the world's largest basketball microscope, is ready for primetime.
At age 21, he isn't a late-bloomer. Bigs normally take time to develop and blossom because humans weren't meant to be 7 feet tall and expected to run and move like the average 5-foot-nothing Joe.
And as it relates to his minutes and production, Sotto clearly was an extremely valuable asset to Gilas in the World Cup.
While Kai continues to work hard on his lateral movement and overall mobility, his feel for the game and court vision has grown by leaps and bounds.
WILL WE SEE KAI IN THE ASIAN GAMES?
"He is extremely willing to play," his camp told me in a telephone interview on Sunday night.
However, contractual obligations with the Hiroshima Dragonflies wouldn't necessarily allow it.
Although the Japan B.League allows its foreign players to play for their national teams, the courtesy doesn't extend to the Asian Games, which is not a FIBA-sanctioned event.
What a bummer.
Just when the going was getting real good, we got a pause.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
