Kai Sotto - 2022 NBA Draft 2nd Round

rambo_ortega · Post #1 » by **rambo_ortega** » Sat Apr 16, 2022 7:51 am

How about Kai Sotto!

He is a legit 7'2 at 19 years old with experience playing international basketball and the NBL. He's showed his skills while playing for Adelaide against NBA caliber competition and more physicality. The NBL has also produced very good rookies in recent years so his performance in the NBL gives a very good perspective on how he will perform in the NBA.

Very good offensive skills, high IQ and can shoot from anywhere. On defense, he still has to improve his body for rebounds and banging bodies, but his length and timing already makes him a great shot blocker at this point.

Not too mention the marketing value he will bring as the first homegrown filipino player in the NBA. You'll have the whole Philippine market which is like the 3rd biggest market after the US and China supporting the team that would draft him.

There's been reports of several NBA Teams encouraging him to join this year's draft already so I see him being picked in the 2nd round by a rebuilding team or those teams who love developing international talents.

Here are some highlights:

Watch on YouTube

atlantabbq99 · Post #2 » by **atlantabbq99** » Fri Apr 22, 2022 10:27 pm

I had high hopes for Kai when i found out about him a few years ago, but since then, i've been following him and i have been disappointed with his lack of development and limited skills and game.

Kai is very slow and weak, he is 7'2 but he plays like he is 6'8. He gets pushed around in the post and he tends to just tip in the ball instead of dunking it.

He also hasn't developed his skills, he never developed a 3pt shot like Embiid, never developed his PG skills and passing like Joker or Giannis, and never developed his dribbling like Bol Bol.

His only skill is that he is a 7footer. He should have spent 3-4 years in UCLA or Duke to learn the game the right way, but he never did and its obvious it stunted his development permanently

Pipp33 · Post #3 » by **Pipp33** » Tue Apr 26, 2022 11:51 pm

atlantabbq99 wrote:I had high hopes for Kai when i found out about him a few years ago, but since then, i've been following him and i have been disappointed with his lack of development and limited skills and game.

Kai is very slow and weak, he is 7'2 but he plays like he is 6'8. He gets pushed around in the post and he tends to just tip in the ball instead of dunking it.

He also hasn't developed his skills, he never developed a 3pt shot like Embiid, never developed his PG skills and passing like Joker or Giannis, and never developed his dribbling like Bol Bol.

His only skill is that he is a 7footer. He should have spent 3-4 years in UCLA or Duke to learn the game the right way, but he never did and its obvious it stunted his development permanently

I agree on his lack of development, BUT he's only 19 still (20 in May). Those 3-4 years at College you mention, would just be at the end of year one, and a year in the NBL is just as valuable, if not more, depending on what the player needs. This season in the NBL has been his first season playing against consistently bigger and stronger competition.

He still has time and although I don't see him reaching any great heights, he could turn into a solid pro.

GreatWhiteStiff · Post #4 » by **GreatWhiteStiff** » Wed Apr 27, 2022 3:04 am

I mean I'm looking at his stats apparently he's 39% from three and 70% from the line, unless I'm wrong. For a 7 foot 1 guy, that shows some touch. He does play a bit like he's 6'8...he has some forward skills in a centers body. I'd also say he didn't look very slow in the 21 point highilight video I just watched. I mean that was my judgment (not worth much) at least from a youtube video I paid some attention to, could be wrong.

Scoonie · Post #5 » by **Scoonie** » Wed Apr 27, 2022 6:45 pm

Doesn't look like he declared for the Draft.

Post #6 » by **GimmeDat** » Thu Apr 28, 2022 4:28 am

Scoonie wrote:Doesn't look like he declared for the Draft.

Auto-entrant.

WESCO · Post #7 » by **WESCO** » Tue May 3, 2022 5:19 am

I really hope warriors take a good look at him.

RollingWave · Post #8 » by **RollingWave** » Tue May 3, 2022 9:25 am

He's a project for sure, there's obviously some intrigue though, I mean Osmen Dieng sucked in the NBL also statistically as well.

but yeah the concern is that he really don't look like he's agile, even when compare to say, Zhou Qi, another huge guy that was too slow for the NBA (and while Sotto's a better shooter, Zhou clearly has a much wider array of skills.)