(2:08). What to watch for: The youngest player projected to be drafted, Duren has played some of his best basketball of the season as of late, helping Memphis surge into the postseason. Pelicans-Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. Nets-Celtics, 7:30 p.m. "I imagine Sotto goes undrafted, but even if he [isn't] picked up, he still has two years on his contract with the Adelaide 36ers, and the NBL is an excellent environment for giving Kai the resources and opportunity to further develop and work towards bigger opportunities.". Today, we're focusing on the rest of his game: His defense, his intangibles on and off the floor, and his potential future paths. These recent developments reinforce the optimism previously expressed by a few voices -- including former Philippines men's national team head coach Rajko Toroman and Sotto's agent Joel Bell -- who believe the 20-year-old's combination of youth, physical tools, and intangibles outweigh some of the weaknesses he showed during his first pro season with the Adelaide 36ers in Australia's National Basketball League. They currently own the. "More minutes, along with another year of skill development and physical training, could only help his stock in the eyes of NBA evaluators.". He fits an obvious mold as a strong-framed, 6-foot-6 wing who can space the floor from well beyond the NBA line, shoot running off screens or pulling up off the dribble, and finish explosively in the open floor. With rival Asian leagues circling, is the five-year college player a thing of the past in the Philippines? In the NBL, Sotto provided glimpses of what could come and averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in over 15 minutes. Gilas Pilipinas fall short against Jordan on road to FIBA World Cup, PBA Governors' Cup Import Rankings: Kevin Murphy powers NorthPort's surge. He also has made strides as a ball handler and passer, while still only being 19 years old. "I feel like the next year or so is going to give us a better idea of the extent of his perceivable upside. A total of 36 international . Indiana Pacers (from Cavaliers via Rockets), Caleb Houstan | Freshman | Michigan | 6'8" | SF | Age: 19.1, Peyton Watson | Freshman | UCLA | 6'8" | SF/PF | Age: 19.5, Josh Minott | Freshman | Memphis | 6'8" | PF | Age: 19.2. 12 Wyoming | Tuesday | 9:10 p.m. | truTV, Julian Strawther | Sophomore | Gonzaga | 6'7" | SF | Age: 19.9, Moussa Diabate | Freshman | Michigan | 6'10" | PF/C | Age: 20.1, Ron Harper Jr. | Senior | Rutgers | 6'6" | SF/PF | Age: 21.9. -- Jonathan Givony. Sotto, of course, still has to cover more ground in terms of his build in order to stick around in a league where the world's best athletes reside. Can Liddell score efficiently against NBA-caliber rim protectors? Kai Sotto hasn't really been in a lot of 2022 NBA mock drafts. -- Schmitz, Jeremy Sochan | Freshman | Baylor | 6'9" | PF | Age: 18.8, When: No. -- Schmitz, Blake Wesley | Freshman | Notre Dame | 6'5" | SG | Age: 18.9, When: No. 4 UCLA vs. No. The 19-year-old had a breakout game earlier this month with a career-high 21 points in the 36ers' 93-85 loss to the Brisbane Bullets, from 17:34 minutes off the bench. Kai Sotto - NBA Draft Room Kai Sotto NBA DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT Draft Notes Sotto is an intriguing prospect who comes from good basketball bloodlines (father Ervin Sotto) and who has shown marked improvement in his frame over the past couple of seasons. He said that some of the Sotto's deficiencies on defense, however, are fixable. (2:08). What to watch for: Christie is a 6-foot-6 guard who has the type of footwork to develop into both an on-the-move shooter and sound defender as he continues to grow in the toughness, confidence and experience departments. It's a sentiment echoed by another expert in Tim Smith, a New Zealand-based scout who keeps tabs on the leagues around the region. In 24 games, he shot 49.6% from the floor, 35.7% from 3-point range and 68.1% from the free throw line -- numbers that have drawn polarizing opinions from those who have followed Sotto's journey with close interest. "Given his defensive motor and willingness to run the floor, I think he has the right mindset suited for the NBA," said Chan. "In terms of exposure, the NBL is a fast growing league in both namesake and credibility and has given some prospects over the past few years the platform they need to showcase their skills. Data from InStat state that Adelaide hemorrhaged points when Sotto defended the roll man in the pick and roll (16 percent of his defensive possessions, second most) and gave up 1.37 PPP -- way above the league mean. We'll learn more about Christie's ability to take and make big shots in clutch moments during Michigan State's NCAA tournament run, which will either put scouts at ease about the 19-year-old's underwhelming freshman campaign or suggest that he clearly needs more seasoning at the collegiate ranks before making the pro leap. 2019 NBA champion Jeremy Lin believes all is not lost for Kai Sotto after the Philippine prospect missed out on being picked up in the 2022 NBA draft. Can the Lions fix their defense? Photo from Adelaide 36ers. While undersized for the power forward position he mostly plays, Harper's 245-pound frame and near 7-foot wingspan allows him to play bigger than his height. Even so, a possible callup in the second round remains within the realm of possibility. The 18-year-old has as much riding on this NCAA tournament as any of the Duke prospects given the extreme highs and lows he has had this season. Understandably, NBL21 has been a year dominated by talks of Adelaide 36ers star Josh Giddey as an NBA draft prospect. If nothing materializes there, an NBL return is always on the table, as he still has two more years (with the second a team option) on the original three-year deal he signed with Adelaide. ", Scouting Report: Kai Sotto | The Jump (2:08), Grading Sotto: How the Philippines' prospect's offense stacks up in the 2022 NBA draft. Scouts will be watching his ballhandling and passing to try to determine if he projects as more than a 3-and-D style wing, as over 50% of his offense comes by way of transition and spot-ups. 12 Richmond | Thursday | 3:10 p.m. | truTV. Theodore Chan, Adelaide's scouting director, insists Adelaide benefited from having Sotto on the defensive end, where the center's aggression and willingness to mask his deficiencies served the 36ers (109.9 defensive rating, sixth among 10 teams) well at various points in the season. What to watch for: Keels is a skilled two-way combo guard with a strong foundational skill set and the type of defensive toughness -- when fully engaged -- that NBA teams covet. "I have declared for the 2022 NBA Draft," wrote Sotto. "If the NBA is not to be for Sotto, he could certainly make the NBL a home long term, as his Filipino citizenship exempts him from import status in the league. Whoever signs him will get a well-worth piece in their winning puzzle.". 10 Loyola Chicago | Friday | 12:15 p.m. | CBS. His skill sets and physical advantages position him to play versatile lineups down the road. Yet, Christie's shooting has been all over the place this season, as he's knocking down just 28.6% from beyond the arc over his past 10 games and has a tendency to play a sped-up style, running from open shots on occasion and not quite exuding the type of self-belief that would suggest he's ready to make an NBA jump. What to watch for: Sochan is the prototypical "initiator" modern big who can defend 4s and 5s while bringing the ball up the floor in transition and creating for himself and others in the half court, looking like Baylor's version of Boris Diaw when he's at his best. Gilas Pilipinas fall short against Jordan on road to FIBA World Cup, PBA Governors' Cup Import Rankings: Kevin Murphy powers NorthPort's surge. Sotto can still land a contract and play in the Summer League in July. He had a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 30-inch maximum vertical leap. I think it would be even worse and he would struggle a fair bit against stronger post players. The 32 teams are set: Who's in and who's out for FIBA World Cup 2023? 3 Purdue vs. No. "Kai had a more productive NBL season statistically than I think many were expecting him to, but as it remains, there is still room for improvement," Smith said. 2 seed in the Midwest. "If the NBA is not to be for Sotto, he could certainly make the NBL a home long term, as his Filipino citizenship exempts him from import status in the league. 2 Duke vs. No. Kai Sotto's hope of realizing a nation's NBA dreams depends on whether the league will favor potential over results. NBA scouts have questions about Smith's ability to create offense for himself and others and be efficient inside the arc. He's also shooting just 40% at the rim in the half-court, converting 16 shots at the rim in 33 games. If nothing materializes there, an NBL return is always on the table, as he still has two more years (with the second a team option) on the original three-year deal he signed with Adelaide. With rival Asian leagues circling, is the five-year college player a thing of the past in the Philippines? Benefiting from the platform of a Final Four run would go a long way in solidifying his standing as a first-round pick. NBA Draft 2023 Best Remaining Players - ESPN Draftcast You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. Today, we're focusing on the rest of his game: His defense, his intangibles on and off the floor, and his potential future paths. 13 Akron | Thursday | 9:50 p.m. | TBS, 33. The names at the top will look familiar, but other prospects make their debut on this unique mock draft exercise and will be players to watch in March. His father, Ervin Sotto, and his godfather, Ranidel de Ocampo, played pro basketball in the Philippine Basketball Association. Data from InStat state that Adelaide hemorrhaged points when Sotto defended the roll man in the pick and roll (16 percent of his defensive possessions, second most) and gave up 1.37 PPP -- way above the league mean. Finishing on a strong note will be important considering the way Davison's productivity has fluctuated, something that may make returning for another season in college appealing (or necessary) depending on how his season ends. ", Scouting Report: Kai Sotto | The Jump (2:08), Grading Sotto: How the Philippines' prospect's offense stacks up in the 2022 NBA draft. 11 Rutgers | Wednesday | 9:10 p.m. | truTV, What to watch for: Wesley is a dynamic shot-creating guard who burst onto the scene as a surprise one-and-done and has piqued the interest of NBA scouts with his ability to go get a bucket off the dribble like few guards, sharing some similarities to a guard such as James Bouknight at the same stage. Foul trouble and turnovers have been an issue at times this season, exposing his youth and lack of experience. Given Zach Edey's struggles staying on the floor late in games, Williams has a great opportunity to continue showcasing his passing, instincts and answering questions about his motor during what could be a lengthy Boilermakers run if Ivey is at his best.-- Schmitz, Keon Ellis | Senior | Alabama | 6'6" | SG/SF | Age: 22.1, Monday through Friday, host Pablo Torre brings you an inside look at the most interesting stories at ESPN, as told by the top reporters and insiders on the planet. Sotto was born May 11, 2002 in Las Pinas, Philippines. ", "His mobility and awareness are above average at his height," Chan added. Scouts will surely be hoping for a deep run from Duke and Gonzaga, as that would set up a Banchero-Holmgren rematch in the Elite 8. And he would struggle a fair bit against stronger post players Josh as... 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