“As his NBA agent, I had talks with several teams and he was going to be drafted… they didn’t know what spot yet since it was still quite a ways from the draft. But, obviously, that’s off the table at this moment,” Sotto’s NBA agent Joe Bell confirmed.

Sotto will have to wait for 2022 for the NBA draft as the league ruled out specifically that players cannot be drafted immediately right after high school which is the same case for Kai.

Nonetheless, the 7-foot-3 center retaliated that everything happens for a reason and doesn’t want to make a big deal out of it but instead he will use the new development to be more passion-driven.

“A part of me, ‘di ko masabing disappointed. Meron lang a part of me na ang dami kong inisip na magiging draft eligible ako for this year,” Sotto propounded.

“Lagi kong iniisip yung laging sinasabi ni daddy na everything happens for a reason. Bibigay yan sa ‘yo ni God dahil may mas maganda siyang ihahain para sa yo. At naniniwala ako doon,” he added.

And that closed door led him to play for Adelaide 36ers in Australia in the National Basketball League (NBL)—one of the professional men’s basketball leagues in the world.

“Naniniwala ako dun and sa tingin ko, isang sign yun na hindi ka pa ready at kailangan ka pa maghanda lalo. Binigyan ako ng chance para magpagaling at magpalakas pa lalo kaya pagdating na magpapa-draft na ko, confident na ko sa sarili ko,” Sotto’s insight on his changed plans.