Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
7-foot-3 Kai Sotto has a dozen workouts ahead of NBA Draft
By ADAM ZAGORIAKai Sotto recently returned to the U.S. from his native Philippines and he will now have ample opportunities to impress NBA teams ahead of next month’s NBA Draft.
The 7-foot-3 big man who turned 20 on Wednesday has a dozen workouts beginning with the Knicks starting May 23, league sources said. He was not invited to next week’s NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, and is currently training in Atlanta.
Kai Sotto, the 7-foot-3 big man from the Philippines, has a dozen workouts with NBA teams scheduled beginning May 23, per league sources
Sotto, who spent part of the 2020-21 season with NBA G League Ignite alongside current NBA players Jonathan Kuminga (Warriors) and Jalen Green (Rockets) is trying to become the first Filipino to make it to the NBA.
He spent last season in Australia’s National Basketball League, averaging 7.5 points and 4.5 rebounds for the Adelaide 36ers, who finished seventh in the 10-team tournament with a 10-18 record.
ESPN.com ranks him as the 100th best available player in the draft, while Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated do not have him in their list of top 60 and top 100 players, respectively.
Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Auburn’s Jabari Smith and Duke’s Paolo Banchero are expected to be the top 3 picks in the June 23 NBA Draft — though not necessarily in that order.
This post was updated at 4:50 p.m. on May 20.Follow Adam Zagoria on TwitterFollow ZAGSBLOGHoops on InstagramAnd Like ZAGS on Facebook
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
