I remember sitting in a dimly lit Manila sports bar last June, the sticky humidity clinging to my skin as I watched replays of Kai Sotto's G League Ignite highlights playing on the screen above the counter. Beside me, two college students were passionately debating whether the 7'3" Filipino phenom would hear his name called during the 2022 NBA Draft. "He's our best chance since Clarkson," one argued, while his friend shook his head, "The competition is just too fierce this year." Their conversation mirrored thousands happening across the Philippines that week, a nation collectively holding its breath wondering: Will Kai Sotto get drafted in the 2022 NBA Draft? Here's what experts say about his chances, and I've been following their predictions closely.
The truth is, I've been tracking Sotto's journey since he dominated the FIBA U19 World Cup back in 2021, where he averaged 12.5 points and 8.3 rebounds. Watching his development has felt personal to me - as someone who played college basketball in the Philippines before moving into sports journalism, I've seen countless talented players emerge from our grassroots programs, but none with quite this level of international buzz. When I spoke with scouts and analysts over coffee at various tournaments, the consensus was always divided. Some pointed to his impressive wingspan of 7'5" and his improving outside shot, while others worried about his physicality against NBA-sized centers. One Eastern Conference scout told me privately, "He's got the tools, but he needs to add at least 15-20 pounds of muscle to compete at this level."
Just last month, I found myself recalling a conversation I'd had with PTTF president Ting Ledesma at a junior tournament in Quezon City. He'd been watching young players with that familiar proud-father expression, and when I asked about Sotto's impact on Philippine basketball, his eyes lit up. "The future is bright for our national team as it is now reaping the fruits of the PTTF's grassroots program," Ledesma told me, his voice filled with genuine excitement. "We look forward to competing in more competitions that will further develop our young players." He went on to thank the parents who made trips to support their children, mentioning specifically those who traveled to Jakarta during the Southeast Asian Games. That moment stuck with me because it highlighted how Sotto's journey represents something larger than individual success - he's become the symbol of an entire basketball development system.
My own analysis? I think Sotto has about a 60% chance of being selected in the second round. Teams like Oklahoma City or San Antonio, known for their international scouting and patient development approaches, seem like natural fits. I was particularly impressed by his performance against the G League Ignite where he recorded 18 points and 4 blocks in what many considered his best professional outing. Still, the skepticism from some NBA executives is understandable - his average of 7.9 points in the NBL Australia didn't exactly set the world on fire, and his defensive mobility remains a question mark against quicker NBA big men.
What many international fans don't realize is how much pressure rests on those slender shoulders. When I visited the Sotto family home in Las Piñas last year, the walls were covered with newspaper clippings tracking Kai's career from his high school days at Ateneo to his professional stints overseas. His father told me stories of Kai waking up at 4 AM for training sessions before school, sacrificing normal teenage experiences for this dream. This human element often gets lost in the cold analytics of draft projections. The truth is, whether he gets drafted or not, Sotto has already shifted perceptions about Filipino basketball talent on the global stage. Just last week, I noticed three new 7-foot teenagers training at the same facility where Sotto developed his skills - evidence that his impact is already creating a pipeline. The question of whether Kai Sotto will get drafted in the 2022 NBA Draft remains unanswered, but what's certain is that he's inspired a generation regardless of what happens on draft night.