Better competition key to Kai Sotto’s improvement, says Uichico

Photo by: Tristan Tamayo/Inquirer.net

Kai Sotto, the prized 7-foot-2 youngster of Ateneo, has already garnered considerable hype by virtue of his height alone.

Standing a literal head above his contemporaries in the UAAP, Sotto is already pegged to be at the forefront of the Gilas program.

At 14 years old, he has already started making impact for the national team as part of the Batang Gilas U-16 team and is expected to lead the next generation’s Gilas players.

Jong Uichico, one of the coaches of the Gilas program, foresees that Sotto will still improve over time as long as the reed-thin teenager gets exposed to better competition.

Sotto currently plays in the UAAP as part of the Ateneo Blue Eaglets where he towers over his competition.

“He should really improve a lot in the next year or two and get a lot of exposure. And it’s hard to find a 14-year-old seven-footer walking around,” said Uichico Thursday at Inquirer’s omniplatform sports talk show SportsIQ.

“He should be exposed to better competition and not just the UAAP where he will face up against what six-footers he won’t have to jump.”