Sotto will play for Orlando at the NBA Summer League.
Kai Sotto has been training in Los Angeles as he prepares for his greatest chance at realizing his NBA goal.
Sotto’s agent, Tony Ronzone, announced that the 218cm center has accepted an offer to play for the Orlando Magic in the NBA Summer League, which begins next month.
“It’s great! He’s earned a berth, and now he needs to play well and represent the Philippines,” his agent, Tony Ronzone, told Philstar.com.
Sotto is set to fly to Orlando on June 30 to join the Magic’s NBA Summer League team, which begins practice on July 2.
The Filipino camp chose Orlando, one of the few NBA teams to grant an NBA Summer League invitation, because the Magic provided the finest opportunity for the prospect to exhibit his abilities.
“Now, Kai has to do his part,” Ronzone remarked.
Sotto’s call-up by the Magic came as a surprise because he had not worked out with the team this season.
Sotto only attended three mini-camps for the Utah Jazz, Dallas Mavericks, and New York Knicks before to his NBA Summer League call-up.
However, during the pre-draft process last year, Sotto visited a dozen clubs, including the Magic.
Sotto will play in Orlando’s Summer League alongside the Magic’s incoming backcourt rookies — sixth overall pick Anthony Black of Arkansas and Jett Howard, the son of former NBA player and current Michigan coach Juwan Howard, who was selected 11th overall — as well as other undrafted free agents and their two-way players.
The Magic are an emerging club, with last year’s No. 1 overall choice Paolo Banchero, cousin of PBA great Chris Banchero, leading the way under former NBL import and head coach Tony Ronzone.
Mosley and Ronzone worked together in Dallas, where the former was an assistant coach and defensive coordinator while the latter was the Director of Player Personnel.
Sotto’s chances of getting a training camp invitation will be determined by his Summer League performance and what Orlando does with their frontcourt guys.
The lone Magic center under contract is starter Wendell Carter, Jr., and his backup, Goga Bitadze, has a $2.06 million team option.
The versatile Bol Bol has a non-guaranteed salary of $2.2 million, and the Magic have until June 30 to either guarantee or decline his deal. Meanwhile, Mo Wagner is about to reach unrestricted free agency.
The Magic’s NBA Summer League season begins on July 8 in Las Vegas.
