MANILA – After his botched stint with the Team Ignite in the National Basketball Association’s G League, Kai Sotto inked a multi-year deal to play for the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).
The 7-foot-2 Sotto will join as a Special Restricted Player in the two-year deal, with an option for a possible extension on the third year.
Under the Special Restricted Player rule, NBL teams can sign up Asian players as locals. The players do not count as imports.
“Attracting a player of Kai’s potential from Asia, and more recently the United States, to Adelaide will only enhance the Club’s reputation for identifying and developing elite basketball talent,” said 36ers chairman Grant Kelley on Wednesday.
According to Jeff Van Groningen, the team’s general manager, Sotto’s decision to join the team was due to his desire to develop his game in the coming seasons with the 36ers and NBL.
“Kai realizes that he has work ahead of him as all rookies do when coming in to this tough league, but his combination of height and developing skill-set give him every chance to raise his game. With hard work, his ceiling for growth is very high,” he said.
Sotto also reaffirmed his commitment to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the international tournaments especially in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament this June and the FIBA Asia Cup qualifier.
“I’m very excited and very honored to be joining Gilas national team that will be playing in OQT and FIBA Asia Cup,” Sotto said in a virtual presser. “Alam natin na pag sinabing Kai Sotto, ito ‘yung batang naglalaro para sa bansa niya. Ito ang goal ko.”/PN
