By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The hyped Filipino basketball fans finally got what they wanted.
After not seeing action in the first four games against the New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Detroit Pistons, young Pinoy aspirant Kai Sotto finally made his NBA Summer League debut for the Orlando Magic last July 14, 2023.
Sotto officially suited up for the Eastern Conference squad at the start of the second quarter and logged in a total of 13 minutes of playing time.
The seven-foot-three center made the most out of those playing minutes, racking up six points, four rebounds, and three blocks.
Despite the 71-88 loss to the Portland Trailblazers, Sotto showed what he can bring to the table in an NBA environment while showing his value when he anchors the paint underneath.
With 5:30 remaining in the second frame, Sotto recorded his first blocked shot of the game, swatting away Portland’s attempt of a put-back layup off an offensive rebound.
Sotto was subbed out and didn’t play in the first nine minutes of the third quarter. Upon checking back in, the young Gilas Pilipinas cadet quickly scored a put-back basket with 55 seconds remaining heading into the fourth.
The leftie big man wasn’t done doing damage after dunking the ball underneath while also knocking down a mid-range jump shot.
It was a decent outing for the NBA aspirant despite only playing his first Summer League game against a physical Portland squad.
Orlando already ended their campaign in Las Vegas with a disappointing 0-4 win-loss record. As of this writing, the Magic are yet to announce if they will be offering Sotto a contract to play in the regular season.
