KAI Sotto is taking his sweet time pondering what's next for his career as he wrapped up his first professional season in the National Basketball League (NBL) in Australia.
"The season just ended. I need more time to think about that," he said after the Adelaide 36ers' season-ending 93-60 win over the New Zealand Breakers on Sunday.
Sotto's future is of great interest for Adelaide fans who hope he'd chose to stay for at least another year with the 2022 NBA Draft beckoning.
The 19-year-old center doesn't think he's in the position just yet on whether he'll make the leap or stay Down Under, yet the only thing clear for him is that he's still not satisfied with the game that he has.
"For me, the work doesn't stop. I'll just continue working and developing and whatever comes after that, you'll see," he said.
"I don't see myself as a complete player right now. I just have to continue developing, getting better with my skills, getting stronger, and getting faster. There's a lot of things I need to work on and this offseason will be a good time for me to get better."
Sotto, though, has proven he can hold his own against the big boys, averaging 7.6 points on 51-percent field goals including a 39-percent clip from deep, to go with 4.5 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 15.2 minutes in 23 games in the NBL.
The Filipino wunderkind also had his moments, from his career-best 21-point showing in the Brisbane game last April 11, his first three-pointer in the NBL against New Zealand back in March 12 that caught fans by surprise, his four block party in this last game against the Breakers, to his plethora of dunks through the course of the season.
Bonding moments
But more than his on-court production, what Sotto treasures more was the bond that he forged with this Adelaide side.
"For me, it was very fun, to be honest with you. Just the memories I built with this team and the bonding moments, it will be unforgettable as I get older," he said.
It just made this 36ers season all the more worthwhile despite the team only finishing at seventh place with their 10-18 win-loss card.
For Sotto, as grueling as the 28-game schedule was, he relished how everyone in the team has improved through the course of the season.
"We didn't end up as one of the top teams but I felt like all of us improved from Day One to now. Each one of us just got better and our relationship as teammates and brothers got better as well. That's what's important," he said.
"I'm just happy we finished this season strong, won this last game and I'm just very happy for all of us."
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