Ideal for Kai

There are days left before the NBA Draft Lottery and less than a month and a half to go before this year’s NBA Draft itself. According to his agents at East West Private, Kai Sotto has settled in nicely in the US in preparation for becoming the first full-blooded, homegrown Filipino to make it onto an NBA roster. His handlers admit that there are “so many factors” at play and that there’s no way of predicting where he would end up. It would depend on what the team needs, what the coach wants, and who else will be available ahead of Sotto.

Ideally, Kai would benefit by being drafted by a team that would be interested in seeing him develop as a player, and one that would see him have a growing role mid- to long-term. Many NBA coaches prefer having players whom they no longer need to teach, and can just plug in to their system. This means that those who grew up in the American collegiate system and the G-League would have a distinct advantage over those that didn’t. Furthermore, it’s easier for them to acclimate to whichever city they end up in. The weather, food and demographic make-up of the team’s home city will impact how quickly Kai will feel at home. If you recall, Yao Ming flew his parents in to Houston in his rookie season because he simply could not find the ingredients to replicate his mother Fang Feng Di’s cooking. When this writer visited Japeth Aguilar in Bowling Green, Kentucky, there was only one Filipino family that watched the WKU Hilltoppers’ games. Like it or not, the environment outside the basketball court affects the performance on it.

Ideally, a Western Conference team with a big Filipino market (virtually any of the four teams in California) would be a welcoming atmosphere for Sotto. Also, Asians in general (and Filipinos in particular) avoid the cold weather of the East Coast, except maybe for New York and its environs. The only problem is that Kai might have trouble keeping his weight down with all his kababayan who’ll keep trying to feed him.

Seriously, though, the fact that there is less pressure on Sotto means he will have more leeway to grow as a player. His height (7’3”) and training already make him a promising acquisition for any team. When he first announced his intention to enter the draft, seven teams expressed their interest in him. Now, that number has grown to more than a dozen. Playing in Australia may also have a deeper effect on his chances of being drafted higher. First, the NBL has sent players to the NBA before. Secondly, the physical nature of the league Down Under has given the former Ateneo Blue Eaglet a taste of what it will be like in the NBA. The only drawback is that he wasn’t given as much playing time as we would have liked.

Making it into the NBA is only the first step, albeit a giant one. Kai will also have pressures that other rookie draftees won’t. He will face high expectations from his countrymen, and Asian hate and racism from others. Part of the package is homesickness, adjusting to a new environment, and getting along with his teammates. He’ll have to bulk up, get stronger, fit in, and contribute. Australia has given him experience in some of these, and he’ll have his parents to guide him. What is most important now is he ends up with a coach who will nurture his talent, and teammates who will realize that Kai Sotto’s success is historic, and will open the floodgates to more Filipinos and Asians knocking on the league’s door. The NBA has been a showcase for racial minorities and immigrants. They would understand what he is trying to accomplish.