AS Kai Sotto embarks on a new chapter in his young career, joining the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian NBL, the anticipation over his performance is high.
The 7-foot-2 basketball prodigy is the first-ever Filipino to land himself a spot in the prestigious Down Under league.
To reflect the towering expectations suddenly foisted upon the youngster's soldiers, NBA Philippines' Facebook page uploaded a throwback video where Coach Monty Williams of the Phoenix Suns evaluated Sotto's offensive and defensive plays.
"Kai's doing a great job with the defense, freezing the defense. He did a hesitation and pump fake to step through and create more space for him to shoot," he commented in one stretch of the video.
The 'Coach of the NBA Bubble' shed light on the Filipino's ability to pay attention to both primary and secondary defenders as he aims for the ring.
He also commended one crossover move done by Kai, where the lanky beanpole used his shoulder to get past a defender through a floater.
"Those are the kinds of shots you work on by yourself when nobody's around," he said.
The seasoned mentor also lauded the his good hand-eye connection that enabled him to make his plays on court.
"A ball fake allows the defender to look back for a second. I like the footwork, its called 'testing the water,' and sometimes you take those baby steps to see how your defender reacts," he said.
Williams, a former NBA forward, added: "I like his ball fake, footwork, patience, and his ability to see the picture. That's savvy, a lot of savvy for a young player."
Watch full video below:
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