Kai Sotto Injury Update, Kai Sotto's Next Game Schedule

Kai Sotto Injury Update

Kai Sotto will be a game-time decision for Gilas Pilipinas in their semifinal match against Brazil in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament on Saturday. Team manager Richard del Rosario confirmed this update.

Sotto, who is 7-foot-2, had a bad fall during the game against Georgia on Thursday night. Thankfully, his X-rays and scans showed no fractures. However, he is still sore and his ability to play will be decided at game time.

Sotto played an important role in the Philippines' upset win over Latvia but had to leave the game against Georgia after just 11 minutes and 49 seconds. During the second quarter, with Georgia leading by 20 points, Sotto went up for a shot but was knocked off balance by Georgia's Joe Thomasson and accidentally kneed in the head by Goga Bitadze. He landed awkwardly on his chest.

Despite Georgia winning the game 96-94, Gilas Pilipinas advanced to the semifinals due to a better point differential. Coach Tim Cone confirmed Sotto was sent to the hospital for a rib check.

Who is Kai Sotto?

Kai Zachary Perlado Sotto (born May 11, 2002) is a Filipino professional basketball player. Standing at 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m), he plays center for the Koshigaya Alphas in Japan's B.League. Sotto shares the title of the tallest Filipino professional basketball player with Raul Dillo and is the second-tallest Filipino man, after William Biscocho, who is 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m).

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Kai is the son of former PBA player Ervin Sotto. He played high school basketball for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets in the UAAP, where he won a championship and the MVP award. He then moved to the US and was recruited by several NCAA Division I schools but chose to join NBA G League Ignite in 2020. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and his commitment to the Philippine national team, Sotto left Ignite by mutual agreement.

Sotto played for the Adelaide 36ers in Australia’s NBL during the 2021–22 season and declared for the 2022 NBA draft but went undrafted. He then joined the Hiroshima Dragonflies in Japan before moving to Koshigaya Alphas. Sotto has also played for the Philippine national team in various tournaments.

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Kai Sotto Age

As of 2024, Kai Sotto is 22 years old. Kai Sotto was born on May 11, 2002, in Las Piñas, Philippines, to Ervin and Pamela Sotto (née Perlado).

Kai Sotto Career

On May 13, 2020, Kai Sotto signed with the NBA G League and joined the NBA G League Ignite, part of a new developmental program. However, he missed several games due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and his decision to play for the Philippine national team. This led to a mutual decision that Sotto would not rejoin Ignite.

Ineligible for NCAA games, Sotto attracted interest from Overtime Elite but focused on the 2022 NBA draft. On April 21, 2021, Sotto signed with the Adelaide 36ers in Australia’s NBL as a "Special Restricted Player," meaning he wasn’t counted as an import. He declared for the 2022 NBA draft but went undrafted and returned to Adelaide for another season.

In 2023, Sotto joined the Hiroshima Dragonflies in Japan's B.League and recorded impressive performances. He signed an extension but moved to the Yokohama B-Corsairs on loan, where he set a career-high with 26 points and 11 rebounds on February 11, 2024.

Kai Sotto's Next Game Schedule

Kai Sotto's next game is a crucial semifinal match for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The game is scheduled against Brazil on Saturday (July 06), with the tip-off at 3:30 p.m. local time (8:30 p.m. Philippine time). Sotto’s participation is still uncertain as he is considered a game-time decision.

He was injured in the second quarter of the previous game against Georgia and did not return to play. Although his X-rays showed no fractures, he is still experiencing soreness. Sotto's presence is important for Gilas Pilipinas as they face Brazil, which is the top seed in Group B and ranked No. 12 in the world. The game will be an opportunity for Sotto to contribute significantly if he can recover in time.