The 22-year-old is backing himself to make it to the big leagues, eyeing the 2025 Draft.
Basketball sensation Kai Sotto eyes making it into the big league. He now assures playing in the NBA next year so he could get drafted into the 2025 draft after engineering the country’s foray into the semi-finals at the 2024 FIBA Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
“I have a contract back in Japan and hopefully I play well enough to be prepared for next summer,” he told Olympics.com in an exclusive interview.
“I’m going to try again to go back to the States and make it in the NBA.”
At over 2.2m tall, Sotto is currently chasing an Olympic berth for Paris 2024 with the Philippines by winning the OQT.
The 22-year-old is hoping that his skillset can help them not only secure a spot at the Games for the first time since Munich 1972 but also boost his chances of being drafted into the Japanese league.
“This is the work that I put in each and every day, so it’s no surprise to me,” Sotto told us.
“I have been playing pro since I was 18, and I think I have learned so much, then obviously I’ve experienced so much.”.
“I’ve done so much already, and that’s why I know I could make it to the NBA.”
Despite all of the chatter about him and his future, he keeps himself set on himself.
“As a player, you can’t try to control what people are saying around you. I’m just focused on what I can control and contribute to, me and my team.”.
“I just love playing basketball, and when I’m out there on the court, there’s no pressure. It’s all love and good times.”