CHICAGO - Kai Sotto is moving on to the next chapter of his storied basketball career.
As reported by Basketnews.com, SPIN.ph has confirmed through multiple sources that the 7-foot-3 center already has a deal in place to play for the Koshigaya Alphas of the Japan B.League.
Sotto's camp was mum on the terms of the deal, saying only that the team "will run it and give out the details to the press."
COLUMN: As massive Japan offers come in, Kai Sotto keeps eyes on NBA path
Described by a former high-ranking B.League official as "the most popular Asian import," in Japan, Sotto commanded multiple offers that ranged between a low of $600,000 to a high of $880,000 a year.
Joining the Alphas checks so many boxes for the 22-year old wunderkind.
Koshigaya's two bigs - 6-foot-10 Gary Hamilton and 6-foot-11 Justin Harper - are aged 34 and 39, respectively, allowing Kai to infuse young blood in the middle where he figures to log substantial playing time.
A GOOD FIT.
The Alphas earned promotion from Division 2 to the B.League top flight last season while being led by a dynamic 5-foot-9 point guard in Shun Matsuyama, who averaged 16 points and 4.5 assists per this past campaign.
In his 34-game stint with the Yokohama B-Corsairs last season, Kai averaged 12.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocked shots per game while playing alongside point guard Yuki Kawamura who was honored among the Best Five players in the B.League top flight.
The hope is that Sotto's performance will continue to prosper with Matsuyama as his point guard.
Kai's upcoming tenure at Koshigaya is believed to be in the two or three-year window and the expectation is that the former Ateneo high school star will have either an opt-out or a buyout-friendly deal.
This strategic move allows Sotto to bank some money while still keeping the doors open to pursue his NBA dream.
A second consecutive stint in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas appears increasingly unlikely now that Sotto's focus and priorities have pivoted towards Gilas Pilipinas' upcoming Olympic Qualifying Tournament games in Latvia on July 3 and 4.
However, a dominant showing versus Latvia and Georgia could potentially earn Kai an invite to this year's 10-day Summer League which begins on July 12, allowing enough time for travel and some practice time with whichever team he may be rostered with.
YUTA PHONE HOME.
Already averaging a robust 4,583 fans a game, up from 3,469 last season according to Kyodo News, the Japan B.League is about to get more popular with the expected arrival of homegrown star Yuta Watanabe.
A legit talent with five-year NBA experience, Watananbe has declined a $2.6 million option to stay with the Phoenix Suns for the 2024-25 season.
The 6-foot-9, 215-pound small forward, who averaged 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 213 NBA games has reportedly chosen to ball with the Chiba Jets for a deal that is rumored to be worth millions of yen.
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