Kai Sotto aims high with Dragonflies

Kai Sotto vows to do everything he can to lead the Hiroshima Dragonflies to a strong performance in the ongoing season of the Japan B. League.

Sotto, the 7-foot-3 Filipino sensation, said he is very grateful for the opportunity and will leave no stone unturned in leading the Dragonflies to the B. League title.

The 20-year-old slotman is being groomed to become the first homegrown Filipino to play in the National Basketball Association.

After going undrafted in the recent NBA Draft, Sotto brought his talent to Australia to play for the Adelaide 36ers in the National Basketball League.

But things didn't pan out as planned.

Sotto hardly made an impact, wrapping up his two-year stint with forgettable averages of 7.08 points and 4.65 rebounds per game.

The 36ers even suffered a 116-107 setback to Melbourne United to bomb out of the playoff derby.

At Hiroshima, Sotto is tipped to regain his confidence that would be enough for him to land an invite in the NBA Summer League around August.

He, however, stressed that helping the Dragonflies come up with a strong performance is his top priority at the moment.

"I want to do everything I can so that the Dragonflies, who are aiming to advance to the B. League Championship, will have a great season," the gentle giant said in an Instagram post.

"I am grateful to the president and GM for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to meeting my teammates, staff, and of course, the fans."

Sotto's former coach, CJ Burton, lauded his decision, saying that playing in Japan will further boost his growth as an international player.

"It's all about taking the next step for Kai and he will continue to grow as a basketballer," Burton said.

Right now, the Dragonflies are at No. 2 in the West District and fourth overall in the B1 with a 27-9 record, putting them in great position to contend for the crown.

Sotto will be suiting up for the Hiroshima Dragons for the remainder of the 2022-2023 season.

His first game will be on 8 March against the Ryukyu Golden Kings, who are being powered by another rising Filipino star in Carl Tamayo.