2 Duke vs. No. Sotto can still land a contract and play in the Summer League in July. He is a lights-out shooter with NBA range who doesn't need much time to get his shot off, even sprinting around screens like a wing. Of course. Brown's productivity has really fluctuated against better competition, which makes sense considering his limitations in the skill department. On the other hand, Michael Houben -- a scouting expert for the Australian independent basketball publication "The Pick and Roll" -- was not as optimistic and called his defense "a very clear limitation at this point in time for Sotto.". "Further growth as a passer as he matures and the games slows down for him will also be extremely helpful, as he has shown a certain level of vision at previous levels of play.". The 32 teams are set: Who's in and who's out for FIBA World Cup 2023? 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. "He has the type of movement that allows him to find himself an open lane for big-time dunks and create open shots for himself.". "Seeing him at practices and games reinforce the projection he's achieving. The defensive end is where scouts will want to see Mathurin show better focus, especially off the ball, where he can at times be Arizona's weakest link. You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. Drew Timme | Junior | Gonzaga | 6'10" | PF/C | Age: 21.5, Andrew Nembhard | Senior | Gonzaga | 6'4" | PG | Age: 22.1, Zach Edey | Sophomore | Purdue | 7'4" | C | Age: 19.8, Jaylin Williams | Sophomore | Arkansas | 6'10" | C | Age: 19.7, When: No. 6 LSU vs. No. With rival Asian leagues circling, is the five-year college player a thing of the past in the Philippines? 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. He's a risk-taker like you'll see from an NBA big such as Alperen Sengun, throwing behind the back passes out of the post, trying to thread the needle on backdoor feeds and working to break down his man with a variety of different dribble moves, showcasing the type of shift you don't usually see from a player with his body type. "There's no reason Sotto would not have the potential to be a productive contributor on the offensive end of the floor," Houben said. Andrew Gaze and Nat Edwards breakdown 218cm Kai Sotto's impact on the Adelaide 36ers, areas of improvement and future prospects. "I think mock draft boards are great for the general public's reference but don't entirely represent the full picture. As the season has gone along, however, Keels' defensive motor has fluctuated wildly. 11 Notre Dame/Rutgers | Friday | 4:15 p.m. | TNT, Who is No. 2 - Nikola Jovi - Serbia - (2003) - Nikola is a 6-10 point-forward who has been steadily moving up draft boards and is looking like an elite talent with a very bright NBA future. What to watch for: Washington is a highly skilled 6-foot-4 guard with the type of winning pedigree that bodes well for March. The 6-foot-6 Summit league player of the year wears many hats as their primary facilitator, leading rebounder and 47% 3-point shooter, sliding between the point guard and power forward spots for an up-tempo, undersized team that ranks as the best 3-point shooting team in the country. Their confidence is not unfounded. Stay on current site or go to US version. His shooting stroke was apparent at times, but Sotto did not take enough 3s and attempted just 14 shots from beyond the arc through 24 games, including just four from the corners. Jaden Ivey | Sophomore | Purdue | 6'4" | PG/SG | Age: 20.0, When: No. Over time I think he continues to get stronger, and his muscle growth has been very promising, but he isn't strong enough just yet.". On June 24, Facebook page "NBA World" uploaded a screenshot of a fake tweet from American sports reporter Shams Charania. He has seen extensive playing time offensively inside the paint while anchoring Kentucky's defense, being the only high-major player to post more than two blocks and two steals per-40 minutes. Today, we're focusing on the rest of his game: His defense, his intangibles on and off the floor, and his potential future paths. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Clippers), Walker Kessler | Sophomore | Auburn | 7'1" | C | Age: 20.6, What to watch for: At 7-foot-1 and 245 pounds, with a 7-foot-5 wingspan, Kessler's appeal is readily evident on first glance. Hell have to develop his lower body strength and work on his agility and foot-speed to be able to defend at the next level. Sotto was eligible for the 2022 NBA Draft because he is a 19-year-old talent one year removed from playing high school basketball. Those who followed him closely through high school have long raved about his competitiveness and winning spirit, which despite nagging injuries did shine through at times during his freshman campaign. Kai Sotto - NBA Draft Room Kai Sotto NBA DRAFT SCOUTING REPORT Draft Notes Sotto is an intriguing prospect who comes from good basketball bloodlines (father Ervin Sotto) and who has shown marked improvement in his frame over the past couple of seasons. He made 39% of his 3-pointers this season, being especially effective with his feet set due to the low release on his jumper, but is also capable of scoring in the post, attacking closeouts and coming off screens, showing excellent scoring instincts as well as no fear with his approach. Casey Holdahl. Six-time PBA champ 'Plastic Man' Saldaa remembered fondly following death at 64, Grading Sotto: How the Philippines' prospect's offense stacks up in the 2022 NBA draft, Kai Sotto declares for 2022 NBA draft in hopes of fulfilling "ultimate dream", Kai Sotto claims NBL Fans' Most Valuable Player award. And the way his intensity has ramped up substantially while the game has simultaneously slowed down for him is extremely intriguing for a player who won't turn 19 until November. He's easy to get along with, loves joking, and doesn't back away from challenges. What to watch for: The SEC player of the year and a leading candidate for various NCAA player of the year honors, Tshiebwe is in the midst of a historic season statistically for Kentucky, grabbing more rebounds than any player in the modern era, spanning back at least 30 years. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages. What to watch for: Named second-team All-Big Ten, Harper carried Rutgers into the NCAA tournament with several heroic late game shots after a slow start to the season. Murray leads the nation in win shares, ranks fourth in scoring and has been a driving force in Iowa's March run, making timely shots with the type of unwavering confidence and focus we've seen from stars such as Kawhi Leonard and Tim Duncan. "He has the type of movement that allows him to find himself an open lane for big-time dunks and create open shots for himself.". NBA Draft 2023 Best Remaining Players - ESPN Draftcast You have come to the Philippines Edition, for other ESPN editions, click here. ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz predict what the 2022 NBA draft could look like if all 58 players came from college basketball's marquee event. He's easy to get along with, loves joking, and doesn't back away from challenges. Kai Sotto Shocked ESPN how popular he is and compared to Chet Holmgren | Drafting the whole Country 278,070 views May 1, 2022 1.5K Dislike Share Save Dribble Talks 6.15K subscribers. Theodore Chan, Adelaide's scouting director, insists Adelaide benefited from having Sotto on the defensive end, where the center's aggression and willingness to mask his deficiencies served the 36ers (109.9 defensive rating, sixth among 10 teams) well at various points in the season. He is at his best when keeping things simple, and he can be prone to huge swings of intensity and productivity on both ends of the floor, depending on the night and how well things are going early in games. In the first of our two-part series on 2022 NBA Draft hopeful Kai Sotto, ESPN talked to scouts and experts who cover Australia's National Basketball League about his decision to declare for the draft, as well as his production and upside on offense. Noteworthy: There's arguably no better fit between team and prospect than Saddiq Bey and. Mathurin's decision-making in high-leverage moments also will be closely scrutinized. Are PSG better off without Neymar in big games? Auburn's Walker Kessler does it all with a steal and a beautiful slam dunk to start off the game against South Carolina. "I imagine Sotto goes undrafted, but even if he [isn't] picked up, he still has two years on his contract with the Adelaide 36ers, and the NBL is an excellent environment for giving Kai the resources and opportunity to further develop and work towards bigger opportunities.". A new home for Michael Thomas? Facebook; Twitter; Facebook Messenger; Pinterest; Email; print; Kai Sotto will be hoping to make it in the big time after declaring for the NBA draft on Thursday.. These recent developments reinforce the optimism previously expressed by a few voices -- including former Philippines men's national team head coach Rajko Toroman and Sotto's agent Joel Bell -- who believe the 20-year-old's combination of youth, physical tools, and intangibles outweigh some of the weaknesses he showed during his first pro season with the Adelaide 36ers in Australia's National Basketball League. PF - Duke - HT: 6-10 - WT: 250 - WING: 6-10 - Fr - Paolo is making a late move up the board and could go no.1 overall to the Magic. -- Schmitz, 10. 05/11/02 (20.8 yrs) Hometown. His shooting stroke was apparent at times, but Sotto did not take enough 3s and attempted just 14 shots from beyond the arc through 24 games, including just four from the corners. He represented the Philippines in the 2018 FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship, where he averaged a double-double and was named to the tournament's First Team. Basketball Home PBA Schedule PBA Standings Gilas Schedule He's a disruptive defender, as well, thanks to his quickness, instincts and 6-foot-5 wingspan that has allowed him to rip opposing guards on the perimeter, swipe the ball on digs and even block occasional jumpers as a key cog in Tennessee's top-three defense. 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. 16 Georgia State | Thursday | 4:15 p.m. | TNT. Jabari Smith | Freshman | Auburn | 6'10" | SF/PF | Age: 18.8, When: No. Will Banchero buy into a more free-flowing style that accentuates his pass-dribble-shoot skill set or will his catch-and-hold tendencies show up again during important games? Ivey also has improved his perimeter shooting, considered the weaker part of his game earlier in his career, hitting 36% of his 3-pointers this season. Listen, What to watch for: A junior college transfer who played a minor role last season, Ellis has emerged as a draftable option as a senior at Alabama, converting 36% of his 3-pointers while guarding everyone from point guards to power forwards. What to watch for: Agbaji has been one of the NCAA's most consistent players, reaching double figures in scoring and knocking down at least one 3-pointer in 32 of 33 games while also converting a remarkable 75% of his shots at the rim. -- Givony, Wendell Moore Jr. | Junior | Duke | 6'6" | SF | Age: 20.4. But there is belief Sotto can build around those figures in order to raise his ceiling and find a place on offense in the modern NBA. He lacks a degree of strength and explosiveness, converting just 44% from 2-point range. 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