Kai Sotto. PBA IMAGES
Kai Sotto, pegged as the future of Gilas Pilipinas, is just humbled by the opportunity given to him by coach Chot Reyes to train with the national team.
But the 7-foot center doesn’t want to feel pressured after being touted as one of the cornerstones for the 2023 Fiba World Cup.
“I just want to focus on what I’m doing. I don’t want to think about the pressure,” said Sotto on Monday after attending his first Gilas Pilipinas practice as a “23-for-23” cadet.
The 15-year-old Sotto had his first chance to bang bodies with his contemporaries as he went to scrimmage with the likes of June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, and Calvin Abueva.
And it didn’t take long for him to learn his first lessons from the current Gilas pool members.
“If you’re playing basketball everyday, you’ll know what’s happening on the court. I think all of us players can learn here. I try to reach out to the seniors because I want to learn from them,” he said.
Sotto hopes that he can get a chance to attend more of these Gilas practices, granting that he’s free from his school assignments and obligations with the Ateneo Blue Eaglets.
“I can join here if we don’t have an exam or we don’t have a game the following day. I’m just really happy and excited to attend these sessions,” he said.