The announcement was made Tuesday (February 23, 2021) after a “mutual decisiont” was reached between the Filipino center and Ignite.
“Kai and the team both understood the challenges for him to rejoin Ignite given the current international travel constraints, quarantine times and health and safety protocols,” said NBA G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim in a statement.
“Kai will always be part of the extended Ignite family and we wish him continued success as he pursues his NBA dreams.”
In January, Sotto left G League Ignite to play for Gilas Pilipinas in the third FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifier window. G League Ignite coach Brian Shaw said he favored Sotto rejoining the Philippines national team for the tournament, but admitted that it was unlikely that Sotto could return in time for the latter stages of the 15-game season to join G League Ignite. The pandemic forced the games to Doha, Qatar, from the Philippines and then were indefinitely delayed. On February14, Sotto returned to the States with the latest timetable for the qualifiers yet to be decided.
In terms of his ambition to become the first full-blooded Filipino to make the NBA, it remains to be seen where Sotto goes from here.
Since leaving for the Philippines earlier this month, the Filipino center has already skipped half the season of Ignite. With a 5-3 record, Ignite, led by Fil-American Jalen Green, is at the halfway point of the season.
As far as Kai Sotto’s standing with Ignite in the NBA G League is concerned, head coach Brian Shaw would rather concentrate on what he has control over.
“I’m only concerned with the guys that we have here,” said Shaw during a media availability Tuesday (Manila time) after a 109-97 loss to the Long Island Nets as posted by nbacallups.com.
“When I hear otherwise from those above me, then we’ll cross that bridge if we get to it,” Shaw added.
Ignite, slowly emerging as the best player with Fil-American Jalen Green, opened its campaign with four straight wins but has since stumbled, losing three of its last four games. The recent problems of the team may have left Shaw with little or no scope to dwell on problems outside his control.
“Right now, we have 12, 13 guys on our roster. So I’m just coaching the guys I have here.”
The G League Ignite player who reportedly used Kai Sotto’s jersey number finds himself back in the NBA.
After posting impressive numbers for Ignite in the ongoing G League season, NBA insider Shams Charania announced, athletic big guy Donta Hall signed a 10-day deal with the Toronto Raptors.
Hall scored 8.9 points, 9.0 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 9 games as he helped Ignite rack up a 6-3 record for 6th spot, donning the No. 11 jersey originally given to Sotto.
Hall, which formerly played a season with the Detroit Pistons and Brooklyn Nets, joins a Raptors squad with a 16-17 card that is actually in 5th position in the Eastern Conference.
Before the season began early in February, the G League unveiled the No. 11 jersey for Sotto.
Despite the “mutual decision”, the No. 11 jersey of Kai Sotto is still up for sale in the G League Store, with the regular size selling for $59.99 and the youth size for $44.99.
“When one door closes, another one opens.” – Alexander Graham Bell
The 7-foot-3 prospect has his fans and opponents asking what his next move is, following his controversial splitting of ways from the NBA G League Ignite Select Team without ever playing a single game. Sotto himself has to take his skills somewhere else if he wishes to continue chasing his NBA dream, as Sotto’s handlers have remained unsurprisingly tight-lipped after his somewhat unnecessary return to the country to play for Gilas Pilipinas.
Luckily for him, though his road to the NBA has got a few different twists and turns, getting there is still not difficult because in other capable professional leagues around the world he can still demonstrate his present skill set and future prospects.
Since taking on a wage for G League Ignite, the 18-year-old Sotto can no longer play with any college leagues. That includes the US NCAA, where he received offers from Division I, and the Philippines UAAP, where he settled with the University of Ateneo de Manila.
Instead, the millennial tower should submit the act to the EuroLeague, arguably the world’s second-best pro basketball league that produced current NBA stars such as Kristaps Porzingis, the 7-foot-3 contrast of Sotto.
It should be recalled that after his UAAP high school exit, Sotto got international exposure after he received a handful of lucrative offers from proven EuroLeague teams renowned for honing other teenage talents like Luka Doncic and Ricky Rubio.
Before him, many young prospects tried and struggled, but basketball history has shown time and over again that in the end, those who work diligently, and most importantly, exercised discipline on their journey were richly rewarded.
On Wednesday, The Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) said the federation will still continue to support Kai Sotto.
“When Kai announced via social media that he wanted to come home to play for Gilas Pilipinas Men, we welcomed him with open arms because he’ll always have a home with us at the SBP,” said SBP President Al Panlilio.
“The same is true for any Filipino basketball player chasing their dreams on the international stage. Whatever may happen to their respective paths, they can always be sure that the SBP will be there to provide them a stage where they could perform for their Filipino fans.”
The teenager is also determined to become the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA, Sotto’s camp said.
“Please know that Kai is very much on track in his development and towards achieving his NBA dream – despite what all the naysayers are posting,” a source told the ESPN5.