Push Admin

Friends, teammates vow full support for Kai Sotto

Article (news)

Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="alt" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/sports/04/14/nbl_adelaide-kai-sotto.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA, Philippines -- Kai Sotto&#x27;s former teammates are fervently praying for his success as the young center attempts to do what no homegrown Filipino basketball player has done before.</p><p>Sotto, 19, is officially joining the 2022 NBA Rookie Draft, after one season with the Adelaide 36ers in Australia&#x27;s National Basketball League (NBL). </p><p>&quot;Please pray for and support me during my quest to fulfill my ultimate dream,&quot; Sotto said on Instagram.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/04/28/22/kai-sotto-declares-for-the-nba-draft">READ: Kai Sotto declares for the NBA Draft</a></li></ul><p>Forthsky Padrigao and Geo Chiu, who were teammates with Sotto in the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, said they are excited to see their friend take another step towards his dream.</p><p>&quot;Alam namin kung ano &#x27;yung pinagdaanan ni Kai at &#x27;yung hirap niya para maabot niya &#x27;yung dream niya,&quot; said Padrigao. &quot;Dito lang naman kami lagi for him. Suporta lang kami lagi.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Lahat kami sobrang excited for him, for his career,&quot; added Chiu. &quot;Since, alam namin &#x27;yung lahat ng mga pinagdaanan niya at &#x27;yung pinagdaanan namin lahat.&quot;</p><p>All three players were part of the Batang Gilas Pilipinas squad that competed in the 2017 SEABA Under-16 Championships at the Araneta Coliseum. The powerhouse squad crushed their regional rivals by an average margin of 44.25 points.</p><p>They went on to play for the Blue Eaglets in high school, with Sotto leading them to a championship in Season 80 before winning MVP honors in Season 81. After that year, he opted to put his full focus on his NBA dream.</p><p>&quot;Ang layo ng pinagsamahan namin,&quot; said Chiu. &quot;Kilalang-kilala na namin &#x27;yung siya and &#x27;yung mga things na kaya niyang gawin.&quot;</p><p>Chiu also played with Sotto with the Gilas Pilipinas senior team during the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers in June 2021, and saw firsthand how much his friend has improved. </p><p>&quot;Lahat kami excited, and &#x27;yun nga, sobrang pinagdadasal na lang namin siya. Continue praying for him, especially with his decision, and siyempre, kahit anong mangyari, andito lang kami sa likod niya, supporting him,&quot; he added.</p><p>University of the Philippines (UP) rookie Carl Tamayo also expressed his well-wishes for Sotto. The two were rivals in high school, with Tamayo and the National University Bullpups defeating Sotto and the Blue Eaglets in the Season 81 Finals. </p><p>&quot;Masaya ako sa kanya na, alam niyo &#x27;yun, &#x27;yung pambato natin na homegrown na Filipino,&quot; said Tamayo. &quot;Tinatayo niya talaga &#x27;yung bandera ng Pilipinas.&quot;</p><p>&quot;Kasali siya lagi sa prayers ko na sana &#x27;yung dream niya, makamit niya, and then sana suportahan natin siya lagi sa bawat laro niya,&quot; he added. &quot;Pag na-draft na siya, suportahan natin siya.&quot;</p><p>The NBA Rookie Draft is set for June 23 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2016555" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Kai Sotto's former teammates are fervently praying for his success as the young center attempts to do what no homegrown Filipino basketball player has done before.

Friends, teammates vow full support for Kai Sotto

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Traffic

Manila

Horoscope

Sports

Friends, teammates vow full support for Kai Sotto

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 01, 2022 01:06 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

Kai Sotto

NBA

NBA Rookie Draft

Ateneo Blue Eaglets

Forthsky Padrigao

Geo Chiu

Carl Tamayo

sports

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.