KAI Sotto will not suit up for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup next month in Indonesia.
The prized 7-foot-3 center begged off from joining the national team training pool in the pocket tournament The King’s Cup in Jordan from July 26 to August 1 and the Asia Cup from August 16 to 28 due to his commitments with Adelaide in the National Basketball League of Australia.
Sotto, 19, is set to join the 36ers, who are set to begin their preparations for the league’s new season, according to Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas special assistant to the president Ryan Gregorio.
“We were told that Kai would be fulfilling his commitments with Adelaide. His management team informed us that Kai is bound to join his new team as soon as possible,” Gregorio was quoted as saying by online sports website Spin.ph.
“With this development, we are moving forward with our preparations without Kai,” he added.
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.
