FACT CHECK: Kai Sotto has not signed $3-billion NBA contract

Claim: Filipino basketball star Kai Sotto has signed a $3-billion contract with the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The claim can be found in the title of a YouTube video posted on January 8 by an account with 14,400 subscribers. As of writing, it has garnered 875 views, 15 likes, and 13 comments.

The title of the video says: “Kai Sotto $3B Contract sa NBA – Finally Confirmed na Congratulations!”

The bottom line: There are no official reports from reputable sources confirming Sotto’s signing with an NBA team. The video also does not provide any details about the supposed contract or which team Sotto allegedly joined.

Sotto himself has not made any such announcements on his official and verified Instagram account. 

As of writing, Sotto is on loan from the Hiroshima Dragonflies and is playing with the Yokohama B-Corsairs in the Japan B. League. Yokohama made the announcement on its official and verified Instagram account. In a statement released on December 28, the Hiroshima Dragonflies said Sotto’s transfer to Yokohama will run until May 31, 2024. 

Sotto said of the transfer: “I would like to thank everyone involved in the Yokohama B-Corsairs club for believing in me and signing me to play for the team despite my recovery from injury.”

The Filipino basketball star had suffered a back injury in his short stint with the Orlando Magic’s NBA Summer League team.

Rappler has previously published fact checks debunking claims related to Sotto:

• FACT CHECK: Kai Sotto did not sign $2-million contract with Los Angeles Lakers
• FALSE: Kai Sotto joining 2021 NBA Draft

– Katarina Ruflo/Rappler.com

Katarina Ruflo is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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