Ex-Gilas coach Tab Baldwin wishes protege Kai Sotto well in NBA pursuit

MANILA, Philippines – After years of training and publicly scrutinized development, Filipino sensation Kai Sotto will now try his luck in the 2022 NBA Draft in the hopes of becoming the first homegrown talent to reach the world’s top basketball league.

Although pegged as a long shot to be drafted by multiple mock drafts, the 7-foot-3 teen titan nonetheless has the support of his fans all over the world, and count former Gilas Pilipinas head coach Tab Baldwin as one of his most avid well-wishers.

“I’m excited for him. I’m like all the rest of Filipinos – just excited for the opportunity that he might get drafted, and if he does, that he gets a real chance to make a roster, then it would be a dream come true for this basketball-crazy country,” he said.

“I’m sure Kai is excited and nervous, but you know, he’s worked really hard. He had a good season in Adelaide, and that was a good place for him to be, I believe. A lot of big men, a lot of talented big men in [the Australia NBL], and he held his own. He had a good season.”

Baldwin had a chance to handle Sotto with the national team, and more than likely kept a very close eye on the star prospect back in his UAAP juniors days when he was still dominating with the Ateneo Blue Eaglets.

However, as many now know, Sotto spurned the safe bet of transitioning to college under Baldwin in favor of trying his luck overseas with The Skill Factory and the NBA G League Ignite in the US, and eventually, the Adelaide 36ers in the “Land Down Under.”

Thankfully for his fans, Sotto had himself a decent pro debut season in the NBL after a controversial NBA G League exit, as he averaged 7.5 points on 50% shooting plus 4.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in just a little over 15 minutes per game for Adelaide.

Many fans, including Baldwin, hope that his lone season so far with the Sixers is enough to entice an NBA team to take a shot at the 19-year-old big man.

“I hope it’s the right decision. I can’t make any assessment as to whether it is or not, but you know, we just wish him well,” Baldwin continued.

“All of us Ateneans, we still believe he’s one of us, and we’re very proud of what he’s accomplished so far, and hopeful that there would be a lot more of his story to be told at the highest level.” – Rappler.com