Kai Sotto eager to join Gilas at ‘Calambubble’ before FIBA qualifiers

Filipino basketball wunderkind Kai Sotto has already completed the first 10 days of his mandatory 14-day quarantine in an accredited hotel, and is just waiting for the green light to join Gilas Pilipinas in its training bubble in Calamba, Laguna.

“I am still in my hotel quarantine, this is my 10th day… I am just waiting for the announcement of when I’ll be leaving for the national team training bubble,” said Sotto in an interview on Playitright TV hosted by Quinito Henson and Dyan Castillejo on Wednesday, June 9.

“I am ready, I am excited, and I can’t wait,” added the 19-year-old Sotto.

Sotto arrived in the Philippines on May 31 and could possibly make his men’s national team debut in the third and final window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in Clark, Pampanga from June 16 to 20, where they are set to face South Korea twice and Indonesia once.

If the 7-foot-3 Sotto suits up for the all-amateur Gilas squad in the upcoming qualifiers, he will bolster the national team’s frontcourt together with newly naturalized Filipino Angelo Kouame, as they are set to go up against more seasoned big men in former PBA imports Ricardo Ratliffe of Korea and Lester Prosper of Indonesia.

However, if Sotto fails to join Gilas in time for the Asia Cup qualifiers in Clark, he will most likely reinforce the national team in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia from June 29 to July 4. – Rappler.com