Kai Sotto to play for Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Asia Cup, FIBA OQT, and for the NBL’s The Adelaide 36ers

Gary Ann  Lastrilla

<p>Standing tall at seven-feet, two inches, 18-year-old Filipino basketball prodigy Kai Sotto is set to play for the national team Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Asia Cup and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, as well as for The Adelaide 36ers of the Australia’s National Basketball League, as announced on Monday, April 21, during his press conference with telecommunications brand Smart.  </p><p>Having been launched as Smart’s newest brand ambassador, Kai took the opportunity to announce that he will be playing for Gilas Pilipinas, which has been his goal. “I would like to announce also that I am very excited and very honored to be joining the Gilas National Team that will be playing this OQT and the FIBA Asia Cup,” he said.</p><p> </p><blockquote class='instagram-media' data-instgrm-captioned='' data-instgrm-permalink='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' data-instgrm-version='13' style=' background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);'><div style='padding:16px;'><div style=' display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;'><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;'> </div><div style='display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;'><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;'> </div><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;'> </div></div></div><div style='padding: 19% 0;'> </div><div style='display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;'><a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' style=' background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;' target='_blank'><svg height='50px' version='1.1' viewbox='0 0 60 60' width='50px' xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' xmlns:xlink='https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'><g fill='none' fill-rule='evenodd' stroke='none' stroke-width='1'><g fill='#000000' transform='translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)'><g><path d='M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631'></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div><div style='padding-top: 8px;'><div style=' color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;'><a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' style=' background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;' target='_blank'>View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style='padding: 12.5% 0;'> </div><div style='display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;'><div><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);'> </div><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;'> </div><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);'> </div></div><div style='margin-left: 8px;'><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;'> </div><div style=' width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)'> </div></div><div style='margin-left: auto;'><div style=' width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);'> </div><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);'> </div><div style=' width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);'> </div></div></div><div style='display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;'><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;'> </div><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;'> </div></div><p style=' color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;'><a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' style=' color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;' target='_blank'>A post shared by Kai Zachary Sotto (Official) (@kzsotto)</a></p></div></blockquote><script async src='//www.instagram.com/embed.js' type='text/javascript'></script><p> </p><p>Apart from being in the national team, Kai also dreams of pursuing a career in the NBA. He signed with NBA G-League Ignite but learned that he is not eligible to join the 2021 NBA Draft yet.</p><p>Patty Scott of East West Private, Kai’s management, said, “And now, obviously because he signed there, I think there’s been a lot of questions and speculation that he would actually be in the 2021 Draft but to remind everyone, actually, he just graduated from high school a few weeks ago and with the help of NBA agent Sarah Espaldon, she has been working very closely with the NBATA to determine exactly his eligibility and therefore the announcement that we have now is that he actually was not eligible for the 2021 Draft. He is eligible starting a year after his graduation passed, in the year 2022.”</p><p>With this, Joel Bell, the President of Bell Sports Inc., a partner of Kai’s management East West Private, made the announcement that Kai would be playing for NBL’s The Adelaide 36ers next season instead.</p><p> </p><blockquote class='twitter-tweet'><p dir='ltr' lang='en'>The Adelaide 36ers are pleased to announce that rising young Filipino talent <a href='https://twitter.com/kzsottolive?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@kzsottolive</a> has signed a multi-year deal with the Club from NBL22.<br/><br/>Read more: <a href='https://t.co/3aJxu6WlCH'>https://t.co/3aJxu6WlCH</a><a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreSixers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#WeAreSixers</a> <a href='https://t.co/xpVbBZD7Vu'>pic.twitter.com/xpVbBZD7Vu</a></p>— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href='https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1384707210731692032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>April 21, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script><p> </p><p>“After a pretty intensive negotiation with a lot of people, it was determined that the best spot for Kai’s solo play next season is with The Adelaide 36ers of the Australian Basketball League,” he said.</p>

<blockquote class='instagram-media' data-instgrm-captioned='' data-instgrm-permalink='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' data-instgrm-version='13' style=' background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);'><div style='padding:16px;'><div style=' display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;'><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;'> </div><div style='display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;'><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;'> </div><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;'> </div></div></div><div style='padding: 19% 0;'> </div><div style='display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;'><a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' style=' background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;' target='_blank'><svg height='50px' version='1.1' viewbox='0 0 60 60' width='50px' xmlns='https://www.w3.org/2000/svg' xmlns:xlink='https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink'><g fill='none' fill-rule='evenodd' stroke='none' stroke-width='1'><g fill='#000000' transform='translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)'><g><path d='M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631'></path></g></g></g></svg></a></div><div style='padding-top: 8px;'><div style=' color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;'><a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' style=' background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;' target='_blank'>View this post on Instagram</a></div></div><div style='padding: 12.5% 0;'> </div><div style='display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;'><div><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);'> </div><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;'> </div><div style='background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);'> </div></div><div style='margin-left: 8px;'><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;'> </div><div style=' width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)'> </div></div><div style='margin-left: auto;'><div style=' width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);'> </div><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);'> </div><div style=' width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);'> </div></div></div><div style='display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;'><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;'> </div><div style=' background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;'> </div></div><p style=' color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;'><a href='https://www.instagram.com/p/CLLV8Nsj8wy/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading' style=' color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;' target='_blank'>A post shared by Kai Zachary Sotto (Official) (@kzsotto)</a></div></blockquote><script async src='//www.instagram.com/embed.js' type='text/javascript'></script><p> <p>Apart from being in the national team, Kai also dreams of pursuing a career in the NBA. He signed with NBA G-League Ignite but learned that he is not eligible to join the 2021 NBA Draft yet.<p>Patty Scott of East West Private, Kai’s management, said, “And now, obviously because he signed there, I think there’s been a lot of questions and speculation that he would actually be in the 2021 Draft but to remind everyone, actually, he just graduated from high school a few weeks ago and with the help of NBA agent Sarah Espaldon, she has been working very closely with the NBATA to determine exactly his eligibility and therefore the announcement that we have now is that he actually was not eligible for the 2021 Draft. He is eligible starting a year after his graduation passed, in the year 2022.”<p>With this, Joel Bell, the President of Bell Sports Inc., a partner of Kai’s management East West Private, made the announcement that Kai would be playing for NBL’s The Adelaide 36ers next season instead.<p> <blockquote class='twitter-tweet'><p dir='ltr' lang='en'>The Adelaide 36ers are pleased to announce that rising young Filipino talent <a href='https://twitter.com/kzsottolive?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>@kzsottolive</a> has signed a multi-year deal with the Club from NBL22.<br/><br/>Read more: <a href='https://t.co/3aJxu6WlCH'>https://t.co/3aJxu6WlCH</a><a href='https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreSixers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>#WeAreSixers</a> <a href='https://t.co/xpVbBZD7Vu'>pic.twitter.com/xpVbBZD7Vu</a>— Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href='https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1384707210731692032?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw'>April 21, 2021</a></blockquote><script async src='https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js' charset='utf-8' type='text/javascript'></script><p> <p>“After a pretty intensive negotiation with a lot of people, it was determined that the best spot for Kai’s solo play next season is with The Adelaide 36ers of the Australian Basketball League,” he said.

<p>Standing tall at seven-feet, two inches, 18-year-old Filipino basketball prodigy Kai Sotto is set to play for the national team Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Asia Cup and FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, as well as for The Adelaide 36ers of the Australia’s National Basketball League, as announced on Monday, April 21, during his press conference with telecommunications brand Smart.  <p>Having been launched as Smart’s newest brand ambassador, Kai took the opportunity to announce that he will be playing for Gilas Pilipinas, which has been his goal. “I would like to announce also that I am very excited and very honored to be joining the Gilas National Team that will be playing this OQT and the FIBA Asia Cup,” he said.<p> 

Filipino basketball player Kai Sotto announced that he will be playing for Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Asia Cup and FIBA OQT, and for the Australian NBL’s The Adelaide 36ers.

Kai Sotto to play for Gilas Pilipinas at the FIBA Asia Cup, FIBA OQT, and for the NBL’s The Adelaide 36ers | PUSH.COM.PH