Kai Sotto from the Philippines will become the first international draft prospect to sign with the NBA G League.
The 7-foot-2 center will join the new G League Select Team alongside Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix.
Sotto’s ultimate dream is to make it to the NBA and become the first full-blooded Filipino to play in the NBA.
He wants to show that his native Philippines is “part of the basketball world.”
Sotto, who just turned 18 years old on May 11, came to the United States in April 2019 before joining The Skill Academy, a prep program in Atlanta, Georgia.
As ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz pointed out in February, Sotto has a versatile skill set.
However, at the Basketball Without Borders camp, Givony also noted that Sotto’s talent stood out in drills, even though he “struggled to make his presence felt in the games.”
In Sotto’s case, the G League Select Team and program will have the opportunity to show that it can develop players who are still somewhat “raw.”
