AFTER sitting out Adelaide’s first four games due to soreness of his knee, Kai Sotto finally suited up for the 36ers last Saturday in the National Basketball League of Australia.
The result was far from the desired outcome, but Adelaide coach CJ Bruton is convinced the 7-foot-3 center could only get better.
“He’s got some work to do, it’s not like he’s got some runs since that first preseason game so we’re definitely managing him and not giving him too many minutes as early as we want him for the whole season,” Bruton said.
“I’m sure that you’re gonna see bigger and better things out of him the more he gets comfortable playing,” he added.
Sotto saw action for nine minutes and 50 seconds off the bench and wound up with one point, three rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in the 36ers’ 67-93 loss to the Cairns Taipans.
Bruton said Sotto, who is bidding to become the first homegrown Filipino to gain foothold in the NBA, showed flashes of brilliance despite playing limited minutes.
“I thought his effort was good,” Bruton said. “He competed and battled.”
Sotto, 19, also missed Adelaide’s four preseason matches.
The 36ers take a 10-day break before a grudge match against the Perth Wildcats on Dec. 28 at Adelaide Entertainment Centre in what would be Sotto’s first home game at the Land Down Under.
Adelaide came off a seventh-place finish with a 13-23 card last year behind star Josh Giddey, who was chosen sixth overall by Oklahoma City in the NBA draft last July.
