KAI Sotto will have new representation for his international basketball aspirations after signing with a renowned agency in Wasserman after going undrafted in the 2022 National Basketball Association (NBA) Rookie Draft.
Mr. Sotto and Wassermen announced the signing late on Wednesday night, ushering in a new start for the 7-foot-3 Filipino wunderkind in an unwavering bid to still make it to the NBA.
“Blessed,” said Mr. Sotto on the official welcome of Wasserman, a sports marketing and talent management agency based in Los Angeles, USA.
Wasserman represents top NBA talents led by former MVPs Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose as well as four-time champion Klay Thompson.
Mr. Sotto, for his part, was previously represented by Joel Bell.
The 20-year-old Mr. Sotto last month missed out on a dream to become the first Filipino homegrown player in the NBA through the draft that was held in Brooklyn, New York.
With a seasoned agency in Wasserman by his side now, Mr. Sotto is expected to explore other routes abroad with the NBA as still the ultimate goal down the road.
An anchor for Gilas Pilipinas in FIBA competitions, Mr. Sotto had a brief stint with Ignite in the NBA G League and the NBL in Australia before testing his luck in the NBA.
Aside from being the first full-blooded Filipino in the big league, Mr. Sotto is hoping to follow Filipino-American stalwarts in Jordan Clarkson of the Utah Jazz and Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets as the Philippine bets in the NBA. — John Bryan Ulanday
