In a historic 93-89 victory over New Zealand in the 2025 FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers, Kai Sotto delivered a career-defining performance for Gilas Pilipinas. The 7-foot-3 center notched a career-high 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and one steal, leading the team to their first-ever win against the Tall Blacks at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Brownlee’s NBA Praise
Justin Brownlee, one of Gilas’ key players, expressed his belief that Sotto has what it takes to make it to the NBA.
“I’ve been saying it: I feel like he’s good enough to play in the NBA, in my opinion,” Brownlee said. “He has the height, size, and skills, and he’s been improving so much. It’s great to see a young player like him with so much potential.”
From Undrafted to Unstoppable
Sotto initially pursued an NBA career in 2022 but went undrafted. Since then, the 22-year-old has steadily improved, showcasing his growth in international competitions such as the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, and now the Asia Cup qualifiers.
In these qualifiers, Sotto is averaging 16.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, a leap from his 6-point, 4-rebound average during the World Cup and 11-point, 4-rebound showing in the Olympic qualifiers.
Bright Future Ahead
Brownlee believes Sotto’s potential is limitless.
“He has a long way to go—he’s only in his early 20s. He does a lot of things very well: shooting, passing, everything. At 7-foot-3, he makes the game easier for everyone,” Brownlee added.
For Sotto, this game is just another step toward achieving his ultimate goal of playing in the NBA.