B. League shuffle: Kai Sotto joins Yokohama on loan from Hiroshima

MANILA, Philippines – The Hiroshima Dragonflies have loaned young Filipino star center Kai Sotto to the Yokohama B-Corsairs, both teams announced on Thursday, December 28.

Sotto, 21, has not played a single Japan B. League game this season after suffering a lumbar disc herniation in his short-lived stint with the Orlando Magic’s NBA Summer League team.

“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 7-foot-3 big man said in a statement.

“I’m very honored to have this opportunity and I want to make the most of this opportunity. I’m very excited to be able to play for Yokohama. I’m looking forward to winning more games and growing as a player. B-COR!”

In order to make room for Sotto, Yokohama is, in turn, loaning 39-year-old forward Edward Morris, who has been with the B-Corsairs for six years, to the Utsunomiya Brex.

The Gilas star’s transfer was completed last Tuesday, December 26, and will run through the end of the 2023-2024 season, using up one year of his Hiroshima contract extension.

Yokohama could certainly use a boost from Sotto whenever he returns, as it currently sits with a 10-14 record at 19th place in the 24-team B. League Division 1.

In his last stretch of games with meaningful minutes, Sotto averaged 8.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.3 blocks in 24 outings for Hiroshima, which eventually fell to the Chiba Jets in the first round of last season’s playoffs. – Rappler.com