REYNALD MAGALLON

Filipino sensation Kai Sotto went undrafted in the NBA 2022 Rookie Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Friday, June 24 (Manila time).

Hopes were high for the 7-foot-2 center to be chosen in the 58 NBA aspirants who got their names called by NBA Commissioner Adams Silver and his deputy Mark Tatum but it didn’t happen as his bid to be the first homegrown Filipino player in the NBA took a turn to a much-tougher road.

But all is not lost for the 20-year-old center as he can still get a team to sign him through the free-agency.

It will be easier said than done, however, as Sotto, now an unrestricted free agent, hopes to get a call up to play in the NBA Summer League where he can prove his worth and try to convince NBA teams to sign him in their rosters.

Despite being not included in the final projections of the top US sports website for the draft, Sotto who had the chance to withdraw early on, still went on with his application as agent Joel Bell showed optimism about Sotto’s chances — even saying that an NBA team has committed to draft the former Adelaide 36ers center.

Pinning to that optimism, the entire nation still collectively held their breath in hopes and anticipation of Sotto getting selected only to be disappointed at the end of the draft as no one among the NBA teams who Sotto has worked out with took a gamble to tap his services.

After not getting an invitation to the draft combine, Sotto worked out with a couple of NBA teams in the past few months namely New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Orlando Magic, Sacramento Kings and Indiana Pacers.

Aside from Sotto, Remy Martin and Ron Harper Jr., players with Filipino heritage were also not selected in the draft, thus will also take the same route as Sotto to achieve their NBA dreams.