In a historic moment for Philippine basketball, Kai Sotto, the 7-foot-3 center, is all set to make his NBA Summer League debut at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The game, scheduled for Sunday, July 9, 2023, at 5:30 AM Philippine Time (Saturday, July 8, 5:30 PM PDT), will see Sotto suiting up for the Orlando Magic against the Detroit Pistons.
Sotto, one of only two legitimate centers in Orlando’s Summer League roster, is primed to get significant playing time for the Magic. He will share center duties with the 6-foot-11 Robert Baker 2nd. This is a pivotal moment for Sotto, who carries the hopes of the Philippines for a full-blooded Filipino homegrown athlete to make a mark in the NBA.
“We just wrapped our first practice in Vegas. Game time is on July 8 (Las Vegas time) and I hope to see you all there,” said Sotto in a video posted by Orlando Magic on Twitter on Friday after wrapping up training.
WATCH Kai Sotto shout out to sports fans in this video:
The NBA Summer League is a crucial platform for Sotto to impress the coaching staff of the Magic — or any other NBA team. A strong performance could earn him an invitation to training camp for the 2023-2024 season.
Sotto, who went unpicked in the 2022 NBA Rookie Draft, returned to Australia to play his second season with the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League (NBL), the same team that gave him his first NBA hardcourt experience. He also recently suited up for the Hiroshima Dragonflies in Japan’s Basketball League, with a contract that includes an NBA-opt-in clause if an American team signs him up after the NBA Summer League, which ends on July 17.
In addition to his NBA aspirations, the 21-year-old Sotto is also set to team up with Utah Jazz Filipino American shooting guard Jordan Clarkson to lead the Gilas Pilipinas Philippine Men’s National Basketball Team at the FIBA World Cup.
As the Philippines watches with bated breath, the question remains: Will Kai Sotto’s NBA Summer League debut be the game-changer that Philippine basketball has been waiting for? Stay tuned.
Here is the Orlando Magic Games Schedule:
https://twitter.com/GoodNewsPinas_/status/1677535482379657217
SEND CHEERS in the comments below to Kai Sotto as he debuts at the NBA Summer League!
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