ADELAIDE 36ers coach CJ Bruton has so much belief in Kai Sotto that he likened the Filipino center to another Asian great.
"Yao Ming is big in China. And Kai Sotto is the Philippines’ version of Yao Ming," he said in an episode of Unrivalled: Inside NBL23.
To Bruton, the comparison is easy with the way Sotto has shouldered the nation's hopes of him making it big and one day playing in the NBA.
It's much like what happened to Yao in China when he was drafted first overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2022 NBA Draft.
And it's something that Sotto has really embraced.
"In terms of representing my country, that’s been my goal ever since I started playing basketball,” Sotto said. "I watched the national team when I was really young and I just saw how they succeeded, how they inspired a lot of kids my age and how they inspired a lot of people. I think that’s one of our biggest goals wherever I go, to represent my country well and inspire other people that they can achieve great things as well."
SEE: LONGTIME BACKER SEES KAI SOTTO 'THE YAO MING OF PH'
Bruton, though, said that all of those can be achieved through relentless hardwork as he still expects a lot from the 20-year-old center.
“Kai Sotto is a promising player when he puts it all together," he said.
Though Sotto went undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft, it's his demeanor which makes Bruton a believer, commending the 7-foot-3 big on how he has held himself since.
"Not everyone gets drafted, but it’s not the end of the world. He talks the right way like most kids in this competition, but now you need to play the right way and do it for yourself," said the 36ers mentor.
"He’s still learning. Kai is going to keep evolving, keep developing, and he’s going to help us get to where we need to go."
Sotto is currently averaging 6.1 points on 49-percent shooting, 3.9 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 11.8 minutes of play through 15 games for Adelaide this 2022-23 season.
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