Tim Cone compares Kai Sotto's decision to Japeth going the US NCAA route and not getting enough playing time at Western Kentucky
BARANGAY Ginebra coach Tim Cone said Kai Sotto made the right decision to go to the G League instead of going to college in his bid to reach the NBA.
In an episode of the Republika Huddle of NBA Philippines, Cone said the G League’s main thrust of developing players will move Sotto closer to the goal of becoming the first homegrown player from the Philippines.
“Let me say that normally, I will encourage everybody to go to college. But there are unique situations and both Kai and Jalen (Green) are unique in the game of basketball,” said the multi-titled PBA coach.
Sotto decided to become part of the G League select team that will be pitted against other squads from the same league but - unlike the opposition - will be unaffiliated with NBA teams.
Aside from the games, Sotto and his teammates will be put under a development program carefully put together by the NBA.
“Right now, for them, more than education, again it’s really unusual, his ability to develop as a basketball player is the priority. So it’s a good idea what he did," said the PBA's two-time grand slam winner.
"Right now, the G League’s thrust is development. They have a lot of development-type coaches in the G League. The level of competition they will go against is much higher that it would be if they went as a freshman in college,” he added.
Cone said Sotto is bound to get enough playing time in the Select team, which he said will even speed up his development.
Cone compared Sotto’s situation with Japeth Aguilar and his stint at Western Kentucky, where the Barangay Ginebra star was not able to play a lot during his time in the US NCAA.
“The key is are they going to get playing time? I think that was the problem with Japeth Aguilar when he got to college. He didn’t get the guaranteed playing time that he thought he was going to get. He didn’t get that opportunity to develop.
“I think this is good because he is going to the G League, whose whole thrust is to just develop this guys. It’s not about winning. It’s about developing guys as a player. They will have tutors, they will have marketing people, it’s just something that is really well-thought out.”
Cone said the Sotto family led by Ervin, his former player with Alaska, also made an excellent job of making the right choices for Kai in his basketball career even before choosing to play in the G League.
“I think his dad Ervin Sotto, his family made great choices for him. This is really probably the best, best chance for him to develop into the kind of player they are hoping for. I think it’s a good decision for them,” he said.
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