Words of wisdom for the Pinoy center.
Two former Alaska Aces imports gave their honest take on Kai Sotto and his bid to become the first Filipino homegrown talent in the NBA, and it would be wise for the 7-foot-3 center to heed their advice.
Sean Chambers and Derrick Hamilton were present in Las Vegas to witness Sotto's campaign in the NBA Summer League earlier this month and they have pointers for the Filipino center.
Chambers thinks Kai should outgrow being shy on the court.
"When I watched the first game, I thought he was kind of nahihiya. Very shy on the court. But then, after a minute went by, I saw the true Filipino fighting spirit that he possessed and quick instincts, great hands. He’s very bouncy, the block shots were very instinctive," Chambers told former PBA commissioner Noli Eala on Power and Play.
"Once he shows the type of presence that the Americans showed, then he’s gonna have a really good chance to make the league. The actual base, the foundation that he has, there’s a chance for him."
Hamilton, on the other hand, said Sotto already has the foundations needed for the NBA.
"His skillset is NBA-ready, his mindset is NBA-ready. I think it’s just his development. He’s only 21 years old. He’s 7-foot-3," Hamilton said.
Another advantage that not a lot of experts point out is Sotto's dominant hand.
"And he’s a lefty, so it’s an advantage. A lot of people don’t understand that it’s such an advantage because 90% of the people are right-handed, so it’s just natural instinct to go and jump at a right-handed guy."
For Hamilton, these are what the lanky center needs to work on if he wants to take that big leap.
"Nutrition, diet, strength and conditioning, footwork I think is the biggest thing, quickness in his feet because you have to play both ends of the court you can’t be just an offensive guy. With hard work, with the right group of people, the sky’s the limit for that guy," Hamilton said of Sotto's ceiling.
(MDB)