KAI Sotto has taken his abilities from Australia to Japan to play for the Hiroshima Dragonflies.
The Dragonflies yesterday introduced the signing of the 7-foot-3 Filipino sensation, who they think about as among the best gamers in Asia at solely 20 years previous.
“Identical as Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, Kai Sotto who’s drawing a lot consideration from throughout the globe, can also be a extremely proficient participant and will likely be among the best Asian Gamers,” mentioned Hiroshima normal supervisor Shuji Okazaki.
“I’m trying ahead to enjoying for the Hiroshima Dragonflies. I wish to do all the pieces I can in order that the Dragonflies, who’re aiming to advance to the B. League Championship, have a terrific season,” added Mr. Sotto.
Mr. Sotto’s switch to the Japan B. League from the Australia Nationwide Basketball League (NBL) got here simply two days following the early exit of his earlier crew, the Adelaide 36ers, for the second straight season of his tenure.
The Gilas Pilipinas mainstay proper after the 36ers’ 116-107 defeat towards Melbourne United mentioned that it’s already his final sport within the NBL, accepting a proposal to a unique abroad league he didn’t disclose but till yesterday.
He performed for a complete of 56 video games in two seasons for Adelaide, registering 6.98 factors and 4.48 rebounds on 51-percent clip in over 13 minutes of play. He served because the crew’s beginning middle for almost all of this 12 months.
In Japan with an anticipated longer enjoying time and extra lively function, Mr. Sotto is sure to unleash his full potential particularly with a Hiroshima aspect needing a formidable anchor contained in the paint to care for the defensive and rebounding duties.
“Kai (Sotto) goes to suit our basketball model. We consider that the addition of Kai will make up for our weaknesses. We additionally could have an enormous benefit for merely inside the paint together with his peak and expertise,” added Mr. Okazaki.
Hiroshima, which is among the many B. League contenders at fourth place to this point with a 27-9 card, was the previous crew of one other native ace in Justine Baltazar earlier than they parted methods late final 12 months.
Mr. Baltazar hardly ever performed because the Dragonflies’ Asian import, seeing motion in a grand complete of 13 minutes in eight video games with two factors, a rebound, an help and a steal to indicate. — John Bryan Ulanday