A lot of Filipino hoop fans have waited for Kai Sotto to bring the pain in the FIBA World Cup. But they experienced a different kind of pain when Kai Sotto played a mere 73 seconds during Gilas Pilipinas’ opening match against the Dominican Republic. Well, slowly but surely, Kaiju recovered from his nightmarish debut on the global stage.
In the next games, the 21-year-old center showed glimpses of the absolute game-changer he can be for Gilas. His best offensive performance came against China wherein he posted 12 points. Defensively, he went beast mode most notably in Gilas’ third quarter run against South Sudan. Sotto had 3 blocks by the end of that contest.
On Tuesday night, the Philippine team’s young big man took to social media to reflect on his first FIBA World stint. The Instagram post was emotionally charged as it documented the ups and downs of the entire experience. He began with what seemed to be a jab at the critics.
“From dreams, to reality! People who never wore this Pilipinas jersey will never understand the difficulties, pressure, and the sacrifices we made,” Sotto wrote.
He then proceeded to express his appreciation for coming across the opportunity of a lifetime, which is to play in basketball’s grandest tournament.
“I was just a young kid dreaming to play in this 2023 worlcup years ago, but now i am proud to say that I've been a part of it,” wrote Kai.
He ended his message with a Kaiju guarantee. Motivated more than ever, Sotto practically promised that Philippine basketball is bound to reach new heights from here on out.
“I hate talking about the future but this time I'm looking forward to it, Pilipinas is only going to get better! #markmywords,” stressed Sotto.
That’s a strong message right there. For sure, Kai’s countless fans will be diligently waiting for what their idol has in store.
(CF)