Three-time champion assistant coach Phil Handy of the Los Angeles Lakers believes that Filipino center Kai Sotto has the tools to someday make it into the NBA.
The Lakers’ leader in player development, who has coached superstars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kahwi Leonard and the late Kobe Bryant, admits having watched Sotto grow as a player, saying that given the right circumstances, could crack an NBA roster at the right time.
“I believe he’s very talented. I don’t believe in putting timelines on athletes. I’ve had a chance to see him play for a couple of years. He’s naturally gifted. He spent some time down in Australia, and that really helped develop his game” explained Handy, who finished his playing career as an import in the National Basketball League, where Sotto started his professional career.
“It could be this summer, it could be next year. It really just depends on the opportunity,” Handy said.
Handy, a 6’5” former guard for the Golden State Warriors, is in the Philippines to share his knowledge with elite local school teams and the Converge FiberXers of the Philippines Basketball Association.
On Tuesday, he began his Philippine tour with a clinic at the Philippine National Police Academy in Cavite.
At his arrival press conference on Monday, Handy said that Filipinos in general have the heart to play basketball at the highest level. He said that for those like Sotto, all that remains is to be given the right break to get into the big leagues.”
“It really just depends on opportunity,” he adds. “Sometimes, players’ opportunities come at different times. The advice I would give Kai is to keep working, keep playing, and keep being ready for the opportunity.”
The Phil Handy Tour goes through the Philippines and Singapore, and was organized by CST Accountants and Advisors, which has offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, New York, London and the Philippines. This is their first international sporting event.