-- Schmitz, Trevor Keels | Freshman | Duke| 6'5" | PG/SG | Age: 18.5, When: No. After not appearing in any major mock drafts for the past few months -- including ESPN's big board, which lists the 7-foot-3 center as the 11th-best prospect at center -- the Filipino talent cracked Sports Illustrated's post-combine top 60 released on May 24 and is reportedly in line for a workout with NBA teams. Sotto posted up a lot -- about 19.3 percent of his offense came from the block, per InStat, which was the second-highest figure from his portfolio -- but Adelaide only scored 0.68 PPP during those trips, well below the league average of 0.89. Kai Sotto's hope of realizing a nation's NBA dreams depends on whether the league will favor potential over results. Perhaps most intriguing are the competitiveness, technique and instincts defensively Harper shows, in addition to his extremely long arms, which gives some hope about his ability to guard wing players in the NBA like his height suggests he'll need to. So far, only Siegel has included the Filipino homegrown talent in his mock drafts with Sotto still missing the Top 60 lists for the June 24 proceedings (June 25, Manila time) in other reputable outlets like ESPN . His passing and floor vision has garnered some attention over the years, but the potential has yet to fully materialize, as Sotto tallied more turnovers (32) than assists (14) in his first year with Adelaide. "I have declared for the 2022 NBA Draft," wrote Sotto. They currently own the. Grading Kai Sotto: Defense and experience may put him behind other international prospects Skip to main content Skip to navigation Full Scoreboard > ESPN Search You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. -- Schmitz, Johnny Davis | Sophomore | Wisconsin | 6'5" | PG/SG | Age: 20.0, When: No. 9 TCU | Friday | 9:57 p.m. | truTV, Tyler Burton | Junior | Richmond | 6'7" | SF | Age: 22.0, 53. "I think mock draft boards are great for the general public's reference but don't entirely represent the full picture. Last week, the Orlando Magic were handed the No. Sotto was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft because he is a 19-year-old talent one year removed from playing high school basketball. "A negative assist-to-turnover ratio indicates further experience is needed to make him an efficient player with ball in hand," Houben added. Check out some of the best highlights from Gonzaga sensation Chet Holmgren as he stays near the top of NBA draft boards. I think it's a valid concern in the NBA if he got a chance. AJ Griffin | Freshman | Duke | 6'6" | SF/PF | Age: 18.5, When: No. What to watch for: Minott's struggles getting on the floor behind 25-year-old second-team All-Conference player DeAndre Williams has kept his draft stock in check this season, as he only played 13 minutes in Memphis' past two games. Sotto was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft because he is a 19-year-old talent one year removed from playing high school basketball. He also has gradually emerged as a more consistent force in Purdue's half-court offense, doing a better job of harnessing his explosiveness, picking his spots and making others better, even if his decision-making still leaves something to be desired at times. Editor's Picks. -- Givony. 12 Richmond | Thursday | 3:10 p.m. | truTV. 14 Colgate | Friday | 9:50 p.m. | TBS, The most improved player in college, Davis went from role player to superstar in the span of an offseason after winning a gold medal with USA Basketball. Duke extends its lead over Syracuse thanks to Paolo Banchero's cut inside and big finish. He is a streaky shooter who gets a lot of his offense in the post, on midrange pull-ups, in transition and while using his aggressiveness, physicality and smarts attacking out of the pick-and-roll. Houben and New Zealand-based scout Tim Smith cited players like projected lottery pick Ousmane Dieng, Hugo Besson of France, Australia's Makur Maker and Luke Travers, Lee Hyun-Jung of Korea, and China's Zeng Fanbo and Guo Haowen as names likely to get called ahead of the Filipino big man. Sotto was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft because he is a 19-year-old talent one year removed from playing high school basketball. In general, catch-and-shoot shots (8.5 percent) and pick and pops (4.5 percent) comprised a small percentage of his shots, and Adelaide was below average in possessions that involved Sotto in those plays, per InStat. He has two siblings. Whether it's Eric Paschall or P.J. His fluidity and mobility is an intriguing aspect of his game and really stands out when rolling to the basket, where he had some vicious dunks," Smith said. Sotto managed to carve out a niche in the NBL, albeit in a limited role, because of his unusual blend of size and mobility. 4 Providence vs. No. 5 UConn vs. No. Kai Sotto declares for 2022 NBA draft in hopes of fulfilling "ultimate dream" Search You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. Andrew Gaze and Nat Edwards breakdown 218cm Kai Sotto's impact on the Adelaide 36ers, areas of improvement and future prospects. Hes been focused on basketball all is life and it shows in his skill level, passing and great understanding of the game. NBA Draft News Best Available Teams Get the App "I think he's very unique compared to all overseas and American prospects. One of the most prolific isolation players in the NCAA, Banchero has an NBA-ready offensive bag. In the NBL, Sotto provided glimpses of what could come and averaged 7.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks in over 15 minutes. 3 Purdue vs. No. 9 Marquette | Thursday | 4:30 p.m. | TBS, What to watch for: Lewis is a scoring forward with NBA tools standing 6-foot-7 with a powerful 245-pound frame and a huge 7-foot-2 wingspan. If he can continue to improve his hands and strength offensively, whilst refining a basic but effective post game to penalize smaller lineups, then Sotto has a legitimate role offensively," Houben said. -- Schmitz, Malaki Branham | Freshman | Ohio St. | 6'5" | SG | Age: 18.8. 8 Boise State vs. No. He had a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 30-inch maximum vertical leap. With rival Asian leagues circling, is the five-year college player a thing of the past in the Philippines? Today we look at Sotto's decision to declare for the draft and what he brings on offense. And Duke's Paolo Banchero is one of the Blue Devils' five first-round prospects who are hoping coach Mike Krzyzewski's legendary career ends by cutting down the net at the Final Four in New Orleans. NBA teams will be intrigued by his physical profile, age and long-term upside, but avoiding some of the lapses defensively that have plagued him at times and finishing the season on a good note will certainly help his cause.-- Givony, 16. How Oftana and Lastimosa went from Dumaguete dreamers to Gilas, Already a standout walk-on, La Salle's Ben Phillips looks to make his mark on another court, 'It's a fans' game': Tiongson, Ahanmisi move on from All-Star snubs, The seven biggest 2023 PBA All-Star omissions, and the players who took their spots, A night of nostalgia: Toyota Tamaraws celebrate 50th anniversary, Kai Sotto's second season mirrors 36ers' ups and down. Pelicans-Trail Blazers, 10 p.m. Nets-Celtics, 7:30 p.m. How Oftana and Lastimosa went from Dumaguete dreamers to Gilas, Already a standout walk-on, La Salle's Ben Phillips looks to make his mark on another court, 'It's a fans' game': Tiongson, Ahanmisi move on from All-Star snubs, The seven biggest 2023 PBA All-Star omissions, and the players who took their spots, A night of nostalgia: Toyota Tamaraws celebrate 50th anniversary, Kai Sotto's second season mirrors 36ers' ups and down. It's a sentiment echoed by another expert in Tim Smith, a New Zealand-based scout who keeps tabs on the leagues around the region. 7-2, 230 Center. "If the NBA is not to be for Sotto, he could certainly make the NBL a home long term, as his Filipino citizenship exempts him from import status in the league. (2:08). However, he still remained ineligible to play NCAA basketball, so he moved on to the Adelaide 36ers of the Australian National Basketball League. At 6-foot-6, he sees quite a few minutes at center, which he can thrive at thanks to his 260-pound frame. He's an active offensive rebounder and a defensive playmaker. He is the only prospect in NCAA history to average at least 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks while shooting over 70% from 2 and 40% from 3, and he's doing so on the No. Some of those improvements have reflected in Sotto's frame, one that he has filled out over the past couple of years and enabled him to keep up in a highly-physical NBL. His progress is ideal for both a foreign kid and a 7-3 unicorn.". However, he toggles between brilliant moments and head-scratching ones, not always quite as consistently aggressive as you'd hope in big moments given his experience. MANILA, Philippines - Kai Sotto will get a shot at impressing NBA teams ahead of . He was part of the initial 33-man list of such prospects, per ESPN's Jonathan Givony: This "also-eligible" list (33 players) includes: Dominick Barlow, Marjon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Michael Foster, Jaden Hardy, Jean Montero, Kok Yat and Fanbo Zeng. Governors' Cup Power Rankings: Is NorthPort's rise real? Six-time PBA champ 'Plastic Man' Saldaa remembered fondly following death at 64, Kai Sotto declares for 2022 NBA draft in hopes of fulfilling "ultimate dream", Kai Sotto claims NBL Fans' Most Valuable Player award. He is a natural with the ball in his hands, changing speeds and directions at will to either generate offense for himself or his teammates. People will realize how special Kai is," Chan said when asked about Sotto's draft stock. NBA Home Scores Schedule Standings Stats Teams Daily Lines All-Star Game More Still, there's a near consensus that he still has a lot of work to do before becoming a no-brainer pick for a spot on an NBA roster. Running off screens, pulling up in transition, making iso step-back jumpers and hitting impossible fadeaways out of the post -- seemingly no shot is too difficult for the 18-year-old thanks to his high release point and soft touch. Brown's productivity has really fluctuated against better competition, which makes sense considering his limitations in the skill department. A darling of NBA analytics models thanks to the way he has filled up box scores his entire career, strong showings against high-major competition in the NCAA tournament and pre-draft process would go a long way in validating his production at the low-major level and proving his pass-dribble-shoot game translates. With a body type that earns him comparisons ranging from Kevin Durant to Brandon Ingram to Kristaps Porzingis to Bol Bol, Holmgren has let his game do the talking, as he is in the midst of a record-breaking freshman season for Gonzaga. ESPN talked to some of these scouts and regional experts working and covering the NBL and asked them to weigh in on the prospect of Sotto becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA. He's also shooting just 40% at the rim in the half-court, converting 16 shots at the rim in 33 games. Sotto can still land a contract and play in the Summer League in July. Davis' rebounding, defensive versatility and all-around grit stand out in addition to the strides he has made offensively. ESPN talked to some of these scouts and regional experts working and covering the NBL and asked them to weigh in on the prospect of Sotto becoming the first full-blooded Filipino to make it to the NBA. He went to the Miami School in Hamilton, Ohio. What to watch for: Smith has emerged as one of the most dynamic shooters in college, converting 43% of his 3-pointers despite standing 6-foot-10. NBA Draft 2023 Best Remaining Players - ESPN Draftcast You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. LSU was delivered a major blow when Eason's coach, Will Wade, was dismissed Saturday due to recruiting violation allegations, and the Tigers will need their best player to emerge as a leader on and off the court. Their confidence is not unfounded. 32 NFL players who could change teams this offseason, What NBA Finals runs from LeBron, Giannis can teach Jayson Tatum, Sizing up the player of the year winners in all 32 Division I men's conferences. 13 South Dakota State | Thursday | 12:40 p.m. | truTV. NBA Draft News Best Available Teams Get the App He lacks a degree of strength and explosiveness, converting just 44% from 2-point range. In January of 2020, he was named MVP of the King Invitational tournament, where in three games, he averaged 27 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.3 blocks and 3.0 assists. Few others like Makur Maker, Kai Sotto, Zaire Wade, Henri Drell and Samson Ruzhentsev are also there. 6 LSU vs. No. Scouts still have questions about Liddell's long-term upside as he stands no taller than 6-foot-7 with average positional length, a flat jumper that might take time to adjust to the NBA line and a somewhat power-reliant game. Scouts will want to see Lewis make better decisions, play with more energy defensively and find more ways to impact the game when the tough jump shots he tends to live off of aren't falling. Kai Sotto's hope of realizing a nation's NBA dreams depends on whether the league will favor potential over results. At the time of this writing we have him no.5 overall in our 2022 Mock Draft. What to watch for: We've truly never seen an NBA prospect quite like Holmgren: A shot-blocking, lob-catching, 3-point shooting, ballhandling 7-foot-1 "big man" with the fluidity of a guard and a relentlessness that doesn't match his slender, 195-pound frame. Sotto, of course, still has to cover more ground in terms of his build in order to stick around in a league where the world's best athletes reside. "There's no reason Sotto would not have the potential to be a productive contributor on the offensive end of the floor," Houben said. 9 Memphis | Thursday | 1:45 p.m. | TNT. Scouting Report: Kai Sotto | The Jump (2:08), Kai Sotto declares for 2022 NBA draft in hopes of fulfilling "ultimate dream". Asked if this means Sotto might be limited mostly to defending in drop coverage as to being able to defend in more aggressive schemes in the NBA, Houben concurred. Brings on offense Sotto, Zaire Wade, Henri Drell and Samson Ruzhentsev are there. 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