At the rapid rate he was being hyped, Kai Sotto, 17, could just be a few bold steps within crashing into the international scene, the NBA preferably.
He was rated as a four-star recruit in ESPN US Class of 2020 at the Atlanta-based The Skill Factory.
He was rated by Draft Site as consensus 18th overall pick.
He was all over, a scene-stealer in the Basketball Without Borders Camp that coincided with the NBA All-Star celebrations in Chicago.
Locally, he was hailed as the real thing by two imports of the Mighty Sports squad that ruled the Dubai International tournament recently.
————————-Sotto must’ve been a true sizzler, one sports scribe waxed poetic and wrote he’s a once-in-a-lifetime stellar presence.
“Kai Sotto appears to be our Halley’s Comet, a once-in-a-lifetime burst of light that burns across generations,” swooned the masterful Homer Sayson (for Spin.ph).
Sayson, a prominent international correspondent with five-star NBA credentials, was in Chicago for the NBA All-Star weekend.
Other than zero in on the fantastic pro basketball proceedings, Sayson had one personal mission: an intimate interview with Kai Sotto.
————————-The idea was to assess how really solid is Sotto’s NBA journey.
Sayson wanted to get hold of the real thing, but he could only observe from a distance. Security was wholesale choke.
Anyway, for starters, Sayson wrote that, “he’s 7-foot-1 long, and has more assets than a bank.”
A strict observer, Sayson didn’t leave it at that. He was there to dig into the core.
————————-He attended the Basketball Without Borders scrimmages, that included Sotto among the over 60 international aspirants.
His conclusion: It will take time but this NBA dream is close to reality.
“The urge is to watch him go to the NBA soon—but this is a process that requires sure but slow and gentle steps,” Sayson said.
He explained: “A nimble big who can run and space the floor, his body can use a little more pounds to withstand physical play. His speed and quickness need more volume. Time will allow him to work on those things.”
The ultimate advice: Let the kid grow; be patient, pump the brakes.
Kay Sotto is well on his way. INQ