CARRYING the weight of expectations of a basketball-crazy country, one would think Kai Sotto would lose heart after a botched try to suit up for Ignite in the NBA G League.
Think again.
The 7-foot-3 center said adversities would only make him better.
“Believe in yourself, just put the work in. Sa basketball court, ‘di ka dapat maggi-give up agad-agad. Same din sa buhay,” Sotto said in a video interview for Smart Double Giga Stories.
“As time goes on, nag-i-improve ka. Iyong mga makakalaban mo, iyong expectations, iyong makakaharap mo, iyong challenges, magiging mas tough pa,” he added.
Sotto, 19, was signed by Adelaide last April in the National Basketball League of Australia.
He admitted there will be times naysayers will doubt him.
In his case, Sotto’s biggest strengths are himself and his family.
“Para sa akin, may mga times na maraming magda-doubt sa’yo. Walang maniniwala sayo kundi sarili mo lang, and family mo,” Sotto said.
“Talagang family is a big word, probably the biggest word sa vocabulary ko.”
Sotto said failures are also part of one’s success.
“Huwag matakot mag-fail, kasi magiging part iyan ng journey mo, kung paano ka magiging mas mabuti at mas magaling,” he said.
In his Gilas debut at home soil, Sotto proved he was no patsy in the third window of the Asia Cup qualifiers in Clark where Gilas completed an emphatic 3-0 sweep and 6-0 record overall.
He was also part of the all-amateur Philippine five that saw action in the Olympic qualifying tournament in Belgrade, Serbia.
The son of former pro Ervin, Sotto graduated from high school at Miami School in Hamilton, Ohio last April.
