Kai Sotto

Kai Zachary Perlado Sotto (, ; born May 11, 2002) is a Filipino professional basketball player for the Yokohama B-Corsairs of the Japanese B.League, playing on loan from the Hiroshima Dragonflies.

Listed at 7ft 3in and 232 lbs, he plays the center position.

He is tied with Raul Dillo as the tallest Filipino professional basketball player ever.

Sotto and Dillo are also the second-tallest Filipino men, behind only William Biscocho, who stands at 7ft 4in.

Sotto is the son of former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) player Ervin Sotto.

He played high school basketball for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), winning the juniors' division championship and MVP award.

Sotto was born on May 11, 2002, in Las Piñas, Philippines, to Ervin Sotto and Pamela Sotto (Perlado).

Sotto began playing basketball when he was four years old.

Sotto began studying at Saint Francis of Assisi College to pursue his primary education.

He grew up idolizing basketball players Tim Duncan, June Mar Fajardo and Kristaps Porziņģis.

In April 2016, Sotto enrolled at Ateneo de Manila High School in Quezon City and joined its basketball program, the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, which competes in the Juniors' division of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP).

In UAAP Season 79 (2016–17), the 14-year-old 6ft 9in Sotto led the league in blocked shots per game (1.5).

He was named Rookie of the Year as Ateneo reached the Final Four.

In his second season, UAAP Season 80 (2017–18), the 15-year-old 7ft 1in Sotto led the Eaglets to the championship.

In the three-game finals series, he averaged 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 6.3 blocks, winning him the Finals MVP award.

He was also named in the season's Mythical Five and finished second in the MVP race.

In his final season with Ateneo, UAAP Season 81 (2018–19), Sotto averaged 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.

He won the season MVP award and was again named in the Mythical Team.

However, Ateneo failed to defend their title, falling to the NSNU Bullpups in a rematch of the previous season's finals.

In March 2019, Sotto left Ateneo as a third-year high school student to move to the United States in an attempt to advance his basketball career.

In the United States, he continued his studies at the Miami School in Hamilton, Ohio while simultaneously dealing with commitments with The Skill Factory and NBA G League Ignite.

He graduated from Miami School in April 2021.

On November 9, 2019, Sotto announced that he would join The Skill Factory, a preparatory program based in Atlanta, Georgia.

In his debut one day later, he recorded 18 points and 12 rebounds in a 65–61 loss to IMG Academy.

He then moved to the United States, where he was recruited by several NCAA Division I schools, but decided to forgo his college eligibility and signed with NBA G League Ignite in 2020.

However, due to COVID-19-related travel restrictions and his decision to play for the Philippine national team at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers, Sotto left Ignite by mutual agreement.

He then joined the Adelaide 36ers of Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) for the 2021–22 season, after which he declared for the 2022 NBA draft but went undrafted.

He returned to the 36ers for another season before joining the Hiroshima Dragonflies of Japan's B.League.

Sotto has also represented the Philippines national team in several senior and youth tournaments.

On January 21, 2020, Sotto was named MVP of the King Invitational tournament, averaging 27 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 blocks and three assists in three games.

On February 15, 2020, he participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp held during NBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago.

In the United States, Sotto was considered a consensus four-star recruit by major recruiting services.

He was recruited by several NCAA Division I programs.

It was announced on May 13, 2020, that Sotto joined the NBA G League Ignite, forgoing his college eligibility.

On May 13, 2020, Sotto signed with the NBA G League and joined the NBA G League Ignite as part of the league's new developmental program operating outside its traditional team structure.

Ignite joined the 2020–21 season as part of the traditional team structure following the non-participation of several regular teams in a competition played inside a bio-secure bubble.

However, Sotto was expected to miss several games with Ignite after he opted to play for the Philippine national team at the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers given by logistical issues caused by COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Despite being able to return to the United States, the NBA G League announced that it has reached a "mutual decision" that Sotto would not be able to rejoin Ignite.

Due to Sotto joining Ignite, he is ineligible to play for a college team in NCAA Division I games.

Overtime reportedly expressed interest for Sotto to join their basketball league, Overtime Elite.