The grind of recovery has taken a visible turn for Koshigaya Alphas big man Kai Sotto, who looked noticeably bulked-up after spending the past seven months rehabbing from an ACL injury.
Kai Sotto appears to be putting in serious work in the weight room as he continues his road to recovery from an ACL injury.
The 7-foot-3 center recently showed off a noticeably bulked-up physique on social media, just days after returning to Japan to resume his rehabilitation.
[Instagram Story/@kzsotto]
Sotto suffered a ruptured ACL last January, forcing him to miss the final three months of the 2024-25 Japan B.League regular season, when the Alphas finished with a 19-41 record and missed the playoffs.
The injury also sidelined Sotto from national team duties with Gilas Pilipinas, keeping him out of the third and final window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers and the tournament itself, where the Philippines finished seventh.
[ALSO READ: Gilas Pilipinas officially finish 7th in FIBA Asia Cup 2025]
Before the setback, Sotto averaged nearly 14 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 26 games for the Alphas.
Earlier, the 23-year-old center made his first appearance back in an Alphas jersey at Koshigaya’s tip-off event on Sunday, August 17.
“I’m back in Japan, and I can’t wait to see the fans of Koshigaya Alphas. I’ll continue working on my rehab, and hopefully, when I’m ready, I’ll be back on the court with you all. See you guys soon,” Sotto said in a video message.
Despite the long layoff, both Sotto and the Alphas agreed to run it back for the upcoming 2025-26 Japan B.League season.
[ALSO READ: Kai Sotto re-signs with Koshigaya Alphas for 2025–26 Japan B.League season]