New York and Mies, Switzerland – Filipino basketball standout Kai Sotto is currently ranked 24th in the NBA mock draft for the class of 2021.
This is according to the draftsite.com, which also lists Fil-Am Jalen Green of San Joaquin Memorial High School (HS-California) as the no. 4 pick in the talent-rich 2021 draft.
The 225-pound, 7’1” 17-year-old Sotto, who is hoping to become the first Filipino to make it to the NBA, was part of the sixth annual Basketball Without Borders Global Camp at Quest Multisport as part of NBA All-Star 2020 in Chicago, where the top 64 boys and girls from 34 countries and regions took part.
Sotto, who played for Ateneo in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, is currently in the US honing his skills at The Skill Factory in Atlanta, Georgia in the hopes of someday making it to the NBA.
NBA 2020 All-Star Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors; Cameroon; BWB Africa 2012), Davis BertÄns (Washington Wizards; Latvia), Tacko Fall (Boston Celtics; Senegal) and 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie First Team member Lauri Markkanen (Chicago Bulls; Finland; BWB Europe 2014; BWB Global 2015) coached the top high school age campers from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe.
Siakam, BertÄns, Fall and Markkanen were joined by former WNBA players Ashley Battle, Michele Van Gorp and Ebony Hoffman, as well as select players in NBA All-Star 2020.
Chicago Bulls assistant coach Karen Stack Umlauf, Milwaukee Bucks assistant coaches Vin Baker, Josh Longstaff and Ben Sullivan, and Chicago Sky director of player development John Azzinaro aldo served as BWB Global coaches.
Among the record 30 former Basketball Without Borders campers on opening-night NBA rosters for the 2019-20 season (active and inactive), 14 participated in the BWB Global Camp, including 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie First Team member Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns; Bahamas; BWB Global 2016), 2019 No. 3 overall draft pick RJ Barrett (New York Knicks; Canada; BWB Global 2017), 2019 No. 9 overall draft pick Rui Hachimura (Washington Wizards; Japan; BWB Global 2016), 2018-19 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder; Canada; BWB Global 2016) and 2016-17 NBA All-Rookie Second Team member Jamal Murray (Denver Nuggets; Canada; BWB Global 2015).
Patrick Hunt (President of the World Association of Basketball Coaches; Australia), Gersson Rosas (Minnesota Timberwolves President of Basketball Operations; Colombia), Marin Sedlacek (Philadelphia 76ers international scout; Serbia) and Masai Ujiri (Toronto Raptors President; Nigeria) were the camp directors.
Windy City Bulls head athletic trainer Matt Comer served as the camp’s athletic trainer.
Players and coaches led the campers through a variety of activities on and off the court, including movement efficiency, skill development stations, shooting and skills competitions, 5-on-5 games, and life skills seminars focusing on health, leadership and communication. The final day featured a single-elimination tournament culminating with the boys and girls championship games.
The camp featured 15 current prospects from NBA Academies, the league’s network of elite basketball training centers around the world for top male and female prospects from outside the U.S., and 12 prospects who participated in The NBA Academies Women’s Program, a series of basketball development camps for top female prospects from outside the U.S at the league’s academies. Since October 2016, NBA Academies have been launched in Australia, China, Mexico, India and Senegal, and more than 20 NBA Academies prospects have committed to NCAA Division 1 schools.
Follow the camp using the hashtag #BWBGlobal on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Find out more about NBA Academies at nbaacademy.nba.com and on Instagram (nbaacademy).