Kai Sotto declares for the NBA Draft

April 28 ------ After one season in Australia's National Basketball League (NBL), Filipino center Kai Sotto believes himself ready to make the jump to the NBA. The 19-year-old Sotto on Thursday revealed that he is declaring for the 2022 NBA Rookie Draft. "I have declared for the 2022 NBA Draft. Please pray for and support me during my quest to fulfill my ultimate dream," Sotto said in an Instagram post where he also expressed his gratitude to the Adelaide 36ers. Sotto will look to make the jump after a 23-game stint with Adelaide in the NBL, where he averaged 7.32 points, 4.36 rebounds, and 0.68 block in 15.2 minutes per game.

If drafted, Sotto will become the second straight 36er to be selected. The Oklahoma City Thunder drafted guard Josh Giddey at sixth overall in the 2021 NBA Rookie Draft after a sensational campaign with Adelaide where he earned NBL Rookie of the Year honors. Sotto is aiming to be the first homegrown Filipino in the NBA. Currently, there are two players of Filipino descent in the league: Utah's Jordan Clarkson and Houston's Jalen Green.

Currently, Sotto does not appear in any of the mock drafts but this may change after his formal announcement of his entry. The 2022 NBA Rookie Draft is on June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com