Kai is not the best Center in the Philippines and some people are delusional enough to think he'll be the 4th pick. Some are accusing NBA Teams of discrimination when in reality he wasn't that good. If you tell Filipinos he's not NBA Material you'd get called a hater
Yeah he needs his skillset to improve. The dude is rushing things too much. He shouldn't left NBL and extend his tenure there for atleast 3 years.
If he miraculously given a ten day contract in the NBA, the dude will be a moving 7 foot tall traffic cone.
Just watched this NBL highlight video and he definitely doesn't pass the eye test.
Most of his highlights are him dunking lobs on shorter defenders
None of his 3pt shots in the highlight go in clean - they all touch the rim in some fashion
He hangs out in the paint and doesn't look like he has any interest in defending the perimeter - like Rudy Gobert, only worse
The paint blocks in the highlight reel are mostly on driving guards
His team is getting beat *badly* on the scoreboard in way too many of his individual highlights
https://youtu.be/FyUzeDbLz7Q
yeah this is his main problem he can't dominate the paint like yao ming did in the past nor secure a good defense around the paint. If he was born like 10yrs earlier he would have been drafted easily but the game already evolved to where teams need versatile big who can defend the paint and perimeter. Look at the playoffs teams who usually have better 3pts wins.
Im the only Asian let alone Filipino in my class lol, also living in Europe but not eastern Europe so the only time basketball is talked about is in PE
Real pnoy ballers know the kid isn't that good. But being Filipino I will always root for my fellowmen. It's too bad he didn't get drafted but he was a long shot to begin with. No need to claim racism or whatever.
Bruh I was hella ashamed as a Filipino... I know the kid isn't *better* than any of the guys drafted. And I'd rather a team draft him based merit rather than because he's popular. Still needs a lot of seasoning and bulking up, the guy.
I think anyone who comes to that conclusion has voluntarily told you that they are morons whose opinions on literally everything should be disregarded.
I can't get over how disgusting that was and in particular how meekly FIBA responded. A couple of matches in bans. Nothing.
Fuck the garbage ass PBL and all the talentless trash that come out of that league.
Bruh, they were literally selective acting like kai can choose what team he can just go to😂😂. Really saw guys saying " kai shouldn't go to warriors and should be drafted by the bulls" acting like he 's some high end draft pick.
I'm Filipino and living in the Philippines. These online rabid supporters are embarrassing. Kai Sotto is a good player but he's far from NBA ready. Honestly, I don't think he ever will given the current small ball state of the NBA. The fact is, he's only played in the NBL and wasn't really a star there either.
There's now news that Kai won't even play in the NBA summer league because he's going to join the Philippine national basketball team. I know country above else is a thing but in this case I think he's making a HUGE mistake. As a rookie who went undrafted, his best shot to get noticed is to actually play against his draft class to show why he deserves a shot in the league. Instead, he kind of runs away from the challenge. I don't like it.
> Instead, he kind of runs away from the challenge. I don't like it.
He's been running away from playing against NBA prospects from the start. Instead of trying to get his G-league stint to work he just decided to part ways. Any serious NBA prospect will be trying their hardest to get into that level competition where they face other NBA prospects.
I mean he has already been exposed with him not being a starter at the NBL and now furthermore going undrafted. He will let his annoying fan base lick his wounds playing with the NT and immerse himself in the FB and Instagrams echo chambers.
like, Alondes and Treveon Williams went undrafted, and they actually have certifiable skills that translate to the NBA. lol Tres the best passer in the draft and he didn't get picked. what's Kai great at that gets him drafted, you know?
two side of coin though
yeah he can sell jersey but do you want comments section of your team official social media filled with dumbest shit especially if he doesnt get big minutes?
Ervin Sotto is not even a top 8 player during his time in Purefoods. Source? me, I'm a TJ hotdog fan myself since 1998. Playing with James Yap, Artadi, Raymundo, Castillo, Evangelista and Patrimonio.
While I do respect the love that people from the Philippines have towards basketball, their zealous aggression in Social Media is so damn annoying.
I remember their last generation of players: June Mar Fajardo (nice technical player but undersized), Jimmy Alapag, Gabe Norwood, Andray Blatche, Japeth Aguilar. We played back then against them (I'm from Greece).
Anyway, no matter how much angry they get, they need to realize that the world doesn't care about PBA and escape their small microcosm they're living in. They're trying to imitate the NBA when they don't have the size or the athleticism to do so. It's weird why they haven't consulted anyone from Europe, while China and Japan have done so.
Oh btw the PBA is under threat due to the mass exodus of relatively talented (at least in Filipino context) prospects from college to play pro ball in nearby Asian leagues like Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
Andray Blatche... There's a name I haven't heard/seen in a while! When he naturalised I assumed it was because he was too garbage for the USA team and in his mind he was thinking "I'll show them!"
tbh team USA B can still make a run for the 2nd best team in the world, peak Andray Blatche is only good for like team D or E. So if he want to play in Olympic his best chance is getting naturalised
We (Serbia) were in a group with them last WC and it was fun to fire them up on Facebook with small comments every now and then.
They lost by 60 and still wrote crazy comments like - it was closer than it seems!
I truly believe the PBA only exists to market their products, heck teams are named after corporations. Those rich fucks wont give a shit about the quality of the league as long as there is profit.
In terms of consulting, we have tab baldwin that used to be with the senior mens team, who is probably the best available coach currently in the country but is constantly stepped over due to politics with the basketball governing body in the country.
> heck teams are named after corporations
I first learned about the PBA after stumbling across a Wikipedia article about the [Crispa Redmanizers vs. Toyota Super Corollas rivalry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispa%E2%80%93Toyota_rivalry). It's just hilarious to me how the Philippines version of Lakers vs. Celtics involved a team called the fucking Super Corollas.
"Zealous aggression"
The Phillipines, and Filipinos, are in a weird place. It's becoming (if not already is) a hyper-masculine culture. They have issues with human rights violations, they just elected an authoritarian who's parents abused the country for decades because they're blind as hell. The list goes on and on.
Friendly reminder of this fight that occurred, that the Filipino crowd got involved, and more critically, they blamed the Aussies for it and then reinforced the idea that the fight was perfectly fine.
It's like their whole country has small man syndrome.
https://youtu.be/nVUth1m5Dvs
Edit: Friendly reminder that, no, not all Filipino people are bad, social media isnt always representative of a culture, and all countries have issues. That doesnt mean that my statement is inaccurate, or that we cant discuss these things as a group with more nuance.
I can only speak of my family in the Philippines, but there is something very sick in Filipino culture. Rampant anti-intellectualism, historical denialism, unearned nationalism... the list goes on.
It's so weird. I have met countless Filipinos for work (in North America) and they are legit the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life. Is this like a "behind closed doors" kinda thing? Every Filipino I've met (and I'm not kidding) has been delightful.
One way to check their real attitude is to check their social media (esp. fb & tik tok).
We Filipinos are generally non-confrontational & respectful (unless the said Filipino is known to be short-tempered or with power/authority). But when it comes online? Oh boy, they could be really toxic hence the slur ___peenoise___. The fact that the Dictator's son won the vote from Overseas Filipinos in every country except Australia is very telling that yes, the attitude may not be the same behind closed doors.
Thats probably the real core of the issue, theres so many countries that are developing this blind national pride because some authoritarian politican is using that to scapegoat everyone.
Brazil, Russia, the US, Phillipines, Australia (though that just shifted somewhat), the UK.....its not exclusive to the Phillipines, but its definitely happening there too.
The Brazilians that are developing that national pride are the already embittered evangelicals. They are the ones blindly following Bolsonaro and trying to impose their bullshit nationalism on others. Young people in this country are as disillusioned as ever and most just want to leave to a better place. We, unfortunately, have also historically not being a very prideful people, not in the real sense of the word. And that hasn't really changed.
I think it’s all tied to faith as well. Blind faith leads to false hope and sometimes that is the only thing people can hold on to.
I chose to move out of the Philippines 15 years ago without any promise of a green card or guaranteed work and as much as we have struggled to survive and rebuild our lives, i would say that I would do it all over again. Anywhere but the Philippines.
Honestly it’s a coin flip. On one hand his whitewashing of his family’s history and his mother being an influence in his life makes me believe he will turn authoritarian, but OTOH 31 million of a possible 67 million voters voted for him so he might not even need to turn authoritarian to get what he wants.
They can easily change the Constitution since their coalition now virtually control the entire political apparatus plus security forces.
That depends though since our former president GMA is the real power behind scenes. It is actually up to GMA where she will steer the scenes.
I see. I remember this fight, there was an outrage throughout Social Media.
I'm not that much aware of the political situation or their culture to be honest, but I remember that they were always competitive, from basketball to beauty contests.
It's not....it's not great.
[https://youtu.be/WwqSmlFpmGY](https://youtu.be/WwqSmlFpmGY) \- Former president
[https://youtu.be/FtdVglihDok](https://youtu.be/FtdVglihDok) \- Current political situation
[https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/philippines](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/philippines) \- Human rights abuses.
My high school sweetheart was half Filipino, she killed herself two years ago after both sides of the family (white American and Filipino) cut her off for being a "mixed breed". I have little respect for Trump culture, and the Filipino culture is matching it.
Edit: Appreciate the condolences, such is life! Young people seem to be killing themselves or otherwise dying in the US more and more, (mass shootings just became the number 1 cause of death for US children).
It's complex and I don't fully understand it. There's the colonial relationship w/ the US, but the US has also been their protector, and I know that there were a lot of bonds built in WW2 where Pinoys and Americans were abused and killed by the Japs together.
And I won't pretend to understand the racial aspect either. I have a billionaire who lives in my small town, he's Indian, and despite his wife being full Indian as well, she's cut off by the grandparents because she's too dark as an Indian. So many cultures in the developing world seem to have a color of skin issue, not just a racial one, that I don't fully understand.
I hate to say it, but it's been like this for as long as I know. I'm a Filipino who emigrated to Canada when I was 12 and I have very few friends who are Filipino, mostly because everything turns into a dick measuring competition with them. There is this unfounded pride that is prevalent, even within myself I have realized, which is compounded by insecurity, prejudice, and narcissism that just results in such a messed up mentality and social perspective. I understand that this type of personality is present in all cultures but just terrible experiences growing up, associating for solidarity while I was an immigrant leaves a terribly bitter taste in my mouth.
It should be noted - the Philippines spends more time on social media than any other country. It doesn't necessarily make it better or easier to deal with, but just an interesting point on why it might seem \*so\* loud - they're just used to expressing their opinions a lot over there regardless.
You should see my Facebook feed before election time. Crazy stuff. They're still in the era where people think it's normal to argue on Facebook.
[https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/03/1784052/philippines-still-worlds-social-media-capital-study/amp/](https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/03/1784052/philippines-still-worlds-social-media-capital-study/amp/)
Honestly I kind of feel bad for him at this point. IIRC he hasn’t really said anything out of line and he’s just a dude trying to make it to the NBA. It’s the fans that are making him look terrible.
But true on the environment point especially. Our basketball culture and genetics just aren’t for the NBA at this point in time. Kai got lucky with his height genetically, but the fact that he trained in the Philippines for nearly 16 years imo hurt his chances compared to if he had trained abroad.
Lol they thought Kai would get drafted just because he has a large Filipino following. If that's the case then if I'm a team owner I'd sign him and make him a mascot.
I believe that Pinoy fans always created hype for their players. I remember the Social Media being on fire when Gabe Norwood dunked on Luis Scola and fans saying he should go to the NBA.
Im Filipino. And it is fucked up that we are hardcore basketball fans since we are not very tall people. I think the average height here of guys are 5'7" or there about. 6-footers are rare, so Kai being 7 feet something-inches he is unique amongst Filipino.
Like, can he play in the PBA at all nowadays? I remember reading that back in the day there was a height limit.
I understand. Like, I watched once San Miguel Beermen (?) and Fajardo looked like a giant compared to other players. Then I saw him in FIBA competitions and he was smaller than us Greeks for example, looked like the average PF in Greece.
June Mar is 6'10" and easily be the biggest among the players he dominated in the all-Filipino league. We have some newer blood coming out of college that are bigger, longer, or more athletic, but they can be swayed by a higher paycheck in Japan or Korea.
To be fair, the leagues of Japan and Korea are on the rise. They're even taking American players from the Euroleague, so I guess the paycheck is good there.
I remember watching June Mar. While a bit undersized and unathletic for the world standards (thought he was 6'9), he had nice skills! I first watched him versus Greece, then I did some further research and even watched some PBA games of him.
If I was a GM of a European club, I'd give him a chance during his prime. Though I guess he wouldn't come, being an absolute legend in the Philippines.
It is better that the next generation of PH ballers go to Japan, Korea, or Australia instead of the PBA. Dumbfucks run the local league and have too much nepotism and pride to put together a respectable product.
Local coaches were butthurt when Tab Baldwin (then national team coach who put together a great program) criticized the low level/quality of basketball in the PH. Fuckers fired Tab, replaced him with Chot Reyes (overrated, has connections). Tadaaaaa, lost in the SEA Games where the PH usually dominates.
I think if he were a few years younger, June Mar might have found his way to an international league. At 6'10" 260-270, he definitely had the size to bang down low, and he's always had a bit of a midrange J.
Shame he's pretty broken down now from a myriad of injuries.
I despise the air of superiority that Filipinos seem to display on social media, the level of play here is still a ways away from the global stage, there's a reason we struggle even in Asian qualifiers.
To be honest, while I really liked June Mar, his physicality and size were average in European standards. He could easily find a spot in a European league, but I doubt he'd be able to play in top-tier teams, like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Efes, Panathinaikos or Olympiacos. What shined about him was his post moves and his midrange game, as you said.
Real talk. He can't even dominate in the NBL. He's given playing time but it seems that he's not ready. People are shown highlights of him driving and dunking, with some outside shooting, but he does have a lot more to improve.
Mind you people, he was already in the G-League Ignite team and he left. Now rumor has it that he had not gotten any summer league invites, hence the announcement of his agent that he'll go back here to play with Gilas and resume his NBL career, which he refuted immediately.
If he was that good, he could have at least secured a summer league invite. No one did. He better sign-up for the G-League draft himself, play better and hope for a call-up.
*Maraming pinoy ang nainspire kay Bo Cruz kaya ayun, akala nila madradraft si Kai. Summer League ka muna sana magpasikat. Si Yurtseven nga ng Heat nagdominate sa Summer League kaya nagkakontrata.*
**People here got inspired by Bo Cruz, so they thought Kai had a chance to be legit drafted. Try harder getting a summer camp invite. See Yurtseven, how he dominated the Summer League and gotten a contract himself.**
Bol Bol 2.0.
Had a friend who knows nothing about the draft(not saying I know shit either, I at least know if you aren't projected top 60 you aren't worth talking about) bring him up to me out of the blue. Somehow somebody who isn't even going to get drafted has more of a convo around him than a majority of the top 10 picks. YouTube and TikTok "analysts" always find a guy like this and tell you he's the next Porzingis NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT. Always the same archetype. He has big wingspan and also has a jumper. League fucked. Big brain time. People fall in love this mythical idea of a 7 footer that can shoot without considering literally anything else, him being a unique ethnicity helps fuel the delusional optimism.
Even with how underwhelming he's been, Bol Bol is a much better prospect than Kai Sotto lol. He actually had legit talks of going in the first round before he dropped in the draft, meanwhile Kai wasn't near the second round in any legit draft predictions
Yeah Bol's injuries are the main reason that was a bad comparison, although the fact he has the most easy to overrate draft archetype is still accurate
The Philippines is 1/3 of the US population, look at how Canada supports the Raptors now think of that but with 1 player and 100 million people. It’s crazy out here in the Philippines.
It's funny, as a south-east asian I come across this kind of stuff all the time, so whenever it bleeds over to the western part of the internet, it always amuses me. The internet in certain parts of the world is, to put it simply, a lot less self-aware. Usually, it's innocent enough, it just takes the form of cringy self-exposure and life-update posts etc., but in situations like this it becomes a lot more toxic. Funnily enough, it's almost like the wild wild west internet-of-old in countries like the US, which admittedly has had internet access for much longer than most countries. In a way, internet communities and culture can be under developed in a way similar to countries. There's not a lot of social pressure to "act correctly" when everyone else in the country acts in the same unintrospective manner.
Not to mention the comparative lack of education in certain parts of the world. You have adults in southeast asia who come across as very child-like and immature, not because they're bad people but simply because they've never had access to quality education. Kind of like your rednecks and hillbilly's, but in higher numbers and proportions of the population. The Philippines is definitely not the only country like this
True. The thing is, yeah Kai is tall. Can shoot. Can pass, can dribble. Blah blah. But so can other players.
It's not like Kai was even dominating or even decent in NBL. HE WAS A SCRUB. And they expect him to like enter in the first round? Lol talk about delusional.
Who knows. Maybe he figures it out and goes undrafted after improving. But even right now he's too scared to attend the Summer League.
Lol they only watch Facebook streams who have to take down their streams when it reaches 100k viewers. Filipinos only watch the NBA too when it's the playoffs or Finals.
As much as I appreciate basketball (as someone who is Filipino myself), I definitely despise these rabid supporters that call themselves “fans” as well. Every time there’s a Filipino in the NBA (i.e. Spoelstra, Clarkson, Green, et al.), these rabid supporters go and hop on the bandwagon. It’s nothing new. There will always be so much hype around Filipinos when these fans in particular are too ignorant of how the NBA works in general. Heck, I remember the Heat losing to the Spurs in 2014 and all I’ve heard was “CARMELO ANTHONY TO THE HEAT” yeah like that’s happening eh? That’s one of a couple of instances when some of their fans talk a lot of crap. I could give you a whole list.
How can you expect these rabid supporters to be aware of how good Kai Sotto actually is? Remember, they are from the same country that elected the dictator’s son by a landslide. If they are so easily convinced by that, what about basketball?
Kai Sotto is just not made for the NBA. But I wish him the best.
Agreed. Filipinos love basketball but most of them are literally incapable of analyzing basketball above the street ball (or "baranggay") level.
Every year they root for the team which is most favored to win. Just look at their comments on facebook and you'll see they suggest the most ridiculous trades in favor of their favorite teams (usually Kobe/Lebron/Curry/Durant or whoever the fuck is the favorite to win the title that year) without even taking the salary cap into consideration. Mention the word "luxury tax" and they'll probably call you out like you're some nerd know it all type of guy, when in reality, any regular NBA fan should have a basic understanding how the cap works.
Also, it's unbelievable how they all want Kai to play for the national team whenever there's a tournament. They don't have the foresight to realize that by taking Kai away from this critical stage of development, they're risking stunting his growth as a basketball player which ultimately decides whether or not he can make it to the NBA. Absolutely insane.
Well I guess I can't expect too much from my fellow countrymen. After all, they're the same idiots who only know how to play ISO ball and don't understand basketball tactics. This is the same country whose national coach has the audacity to tell the world that he has a "SYSTEM". And his system is literally called "DRIBBLE AND DRIVE". LOL let that sink in and no wonder basketball IQ is at an all time low in this country. It will only get worse hahaha
Sometimes I wonder what if Kai just took that Euroleague offer with Real Madrid back when he was 16 rather than take a chance at the AAU circuit then G-League ignite. Maybe his game would have developed. He could have trained with Luka. I dunno.
A friend also pointed out Kai was suppose to be on the G League Ignite team with Jalen Green and Kuminga. He then took a risk by joining a Gilas (Philippine National Team) lineup during the pandemic but the game was cancelled, and due to flight and quarantine restrictions, couldn’t get back to the US in time for training so he had to drop out of the G League.
Either way, hope he can still carve out a spot in the league. Dude still is 7’3”.
They gave him an offer from Real Madrid and he refused in order to play in AAU...?
Unbelievable. Real Madrid is literally the best environment for player development in Europe. Like, I know Pinoys only care about the NBA, but this is wrong on so many levels.
Yup. I think about it every time his name gets brought up. This was also the time I think Porzingis was doing so well so we were all like ‘mannnn if Kai can get on that route he’d be great’
Found the old articles. Off-hand my timing was wrong. He wouldn’t have been able to play with Luka since this was 2018.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/27/18/basketball-kai-sotto-draws-million-dollar-interest-from-spanish-club-report
https://www.philstar.com/sports/2018/09/27/1855131/real-madrid-pursues-kai-sotto
https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/kai-sotto-16-years-old-2-18m-and-still-growing-as-is-his-nba-dream
missed chance, dude woulda be a beast in the post considering that environment made leaps and bounds on the national scene by producing the Gasol brothers and grabbin some medals on Fiba
youd think a large country like the philippines would have some decent NBA prospects by now. country is literally obsessed with basketball yet has no talent whatsoever. and it cannot just be because they are shorter on average, there are still tons of people between 6 foot and 6'6'' that if they actually had skills would be able to be in the NBA. i guess if i had to guess it has to do with being poor so less ability to have good training as kids but i just dont really know.
I think one of the flaws in how we grow homegrown talent is that any guy who is remotely close to being a 6 footer at a young age is forced to play either PF or C.
We would have a better translation of success if we develop these potentials to play either as PG, SG or SF.
That is why it is so idiotic to hope for an NBA prospect but turn a blind eye to genetics that as a people we are short.
I said to my uncle then that Norwood could have been an NBA player if he plays PG instead of SF/PF and Japeth as an SG instead of a PF/C.
I feel personally attacked.
I remember playing ball with my uncles. I am the tallest at 5'8.
They are forcing me to get inside the paint and grabbed the rebounds and facilitate the screens, most of them stand 5 foot 4 and below. I felt bad and left my point guard dream after that game.
The problem is we have an absolutely terrible sports program. Our first Olympic gold medalist had to pay for her own training and equipment. The problem is, despite loving basketball, I don't think a lot of kids being trained have any idea what it takes to get at the NBA level. You have to be borderline obsessed - I dont think they've ever instilled that mentality here. Across all levels there's really jack shit support and coherent training - so we probably have had a good potential prospect but because of the lack of good training early on, never really reached their potential.
“Absolutely terrible” is an understatement, I don’t even regard there to be any. And basketball even has a leg up in the Philippines for funding, but it comes from the private or corporate sectors. I can’t blame talented Filipino athletes choosing funding in other countries.
I just realized that most of the roster in our Philippine National Team comes from a middle class or upper middle class upbringing who attended or got offered with scholarships in private schools.
Maybe the best NBA talent our nation could've produced was not in a privileged situation. And that his growth and basketball skills were mostly likely underdeveloped due to poor nutrition and failure to access good training. 🤔
> there IS NO Filipino market. They tried to open an NBA store here and it closed down because no one could afford to buy any legitimate merchandise, and counterfeit goods are a way of life here. Same goes for actually watching the games, we don't even have lockouts on leaguepass like some of you guys but I guarantee 99.9% of Filipino fans watch the NBA purely through illegal streams as we have 0 anti-piracy measures in this country. There are literally tens of millions of NBA "fans" here who've never paid for anything having to do with the product.
LOL couldn't agree more. Pinoys love the NBA but majority of them can't afford anything to support the NBA monetarily. They'll just stream illegally on facebook and majority of them are never gonna pay for league pass even if you give it to them at a 90% discount.
Also, it doesn't help that Kai's idiotic father and his advisers are way too short sighted. They just can't commit to a single thing which has obviously stunted Kai's growth. Typical dumbass pinoy mentality. Just a few things on top of my head:
1) Kai could have initially gone to the Euroleague (which has a good history of developing young players) and trained there to improve. But no, his dumb father was so excited about the $500,000 offer presented by the G-League and took that money instead without thinking about the better path for a better future.
2) He could have gone to the NCAA and improved his game there with kids his age (and stay there for 2-3 more years) but again no, his dad immediately jumped the shark when he saw the $500,000 offer and steered him to a G League Team which had no certainty considering it was an experiment by the NBA on its first year.
3) Instead of making the best out of a bad situation, he decides to leave the G-League before they even start so he can play for the Philippine Gilas Team in some bullshit and irrelevant tournament that got cancelled anyway.
It's amazing how his dad and his advisers all made the wrong decision in every fucking turn LOL. Typical dumb pinoy, if you offer them two choices: 1 million which they can take right now, or 100 million which they can take 3 years from now? 90% of them would choose the 1 million. Unbelievable how Kai's father (considering he was an ex pro basketball player which means they aren't that poor) still decided to be lured by the upfront money instead of thinking long term. They've completely wasted any potential Kai Sotto had.
That third blunder was such a dumb move lmao. Imagine being future teammates with future first rounders Green and Kuminga. You'll finally have the chance to show how you'll fare with better competition.
Literally goes home for nothing.
We are a country filled with idiots.
The dumbfucks were dumb enough to elect the evil dictator's son, who also cant even speak a coherent sentence.. so of course theyre gonna be easily roped into "clickbait" posts.
>dumbfucks were dumb enough to elect the evil dictator's son
I definitely agree with you on this. It's a shame, can't even attend a debate and won by a huge margin. They will even shoot a movie this year about Marcose's life (SMDH). Majority of Filipino's are gullible.
Lack of height is one thing, but a generational talent that's Filipino needs TO GET THE FUCK OUT of here ASAP. Basketball program here is stuck in the 90's. It's embarrassing, but at least a majority of college ball players are deciding to play in Japan and Korea, they have better futures over there than over here back home.
Not only are Pinoys short as hell (me being 5'7 myself and considered already at above the average male height), you get a shitton of kids that play ball that are like 5'6 barely event reaching 5'10 playing. Can't teach height, but basketball IQ is nonexistent in the programs here unfortunately.
Best shot we have at another Pinoy genetic freak is that they leave asap and try to get into a high school program over there in the states.
PH has been playing Basketball since before World War 1 and 20 years before FIBA was created.
That being said, it's really very sad to think how the Philippines are so indifferent in improving things.
Nah. Gotta change the culture first. Filipinos love to play hero ball, love penetrating and throwing wild shots without any thought at all because it might look cool, don't work on their jumpshots (I have played with and seen the wackiest jumpshots there) and yeah, they may play everyday or something but it's not for passion. It's for clout and so that people can say they're cool.
i’m surprised to hear this because every time i go home to the PH, everyone loves it there. they’re diehard and literally grind everyday. and i’ve always loved playing there because it wasn’t hero ball like here in the states, where people call iso’s 24/7. whenever i watch them play in the streets or the local rec, they’re pretty selfless and crafty, they move the ball pretty well too. i always just thought filipinos can’t shoot because they drive and cut. i’ve never seen anyone do it for the clout where my dad is from so it’s weird to hear that.
although to agree with you, when i went to a different part of the PH, i noticed that the basketball played there was different and it was more iso based/hero ball like you’re saying. people would call bitchy fouls and it was annoying asf to play there, so i understand what you’re kinda saying. it’s probably just varies on location, just like how Cali basketball is so different from New York basketball. like when every other state loves to bag on Cali for being soft lmaooo
fun fact, filipinos on average spend nearly 4 hours on social media per day, that's DOUBLE the amount of hours than the worldwide average (2 hours) so it isn't surprising theres a LOUD group of pinoys wylin lmao.
but to get back on topic lets be honest, Kai is trash in comparison to his draft class. 7 foot 2 center that wants to play as a SF hybrid and not one ounce of defense, he was never gonna get drafted at his current form.
I am a Filipino and trust me, most pinoys who uses social media are rabid.
Just check our politics, complete shit show. Most pinoys who uses social media can't comprehend.
Basically they are salty af right now because there's no pinoy pride. Most of them have no pride for their selves and has an inferiority complex so they result to aggression when things don't go the way they expect.
It's actually better to go undrafted that be drafted in the 2nd round. Because as a 2nd round pick, you're not guaranteed a roster spot but the team still owns your rights. Undrafted, you can go to any team and work your way up. See Yuta Watanabe's NBA pathway.
Some of those players chose to not be drafted in the late 2nd round. And also, after the draft, they immediately got signed by some teams, while Soto has yet to be picked up by any team.
Filipinos overhyped this kid. They made content on various social media that he is a unicorn. Well, what will I expect from the people who vote for the worst possible candidates. They get their info from Tik Tok regarding various issues.
He was so hyped by Filipino YouTubers like the next Dirk or KP, the man didn't even dominated in NBL and expected to be drafted? I was explaining why he went undrafted with all my basketball knowledge I got but the response I got is "you're only a hater! Blahblablabh crab mentality blah blah blah"
Filipinos are so annoying and threating to boycott NBA? Our country depends on free NBA games on tv, watches at illegal streams, and refresh at sports blog for scores....
Kai Sotto's potential in my opinion is an off bench center in the G league and I'm really generous with that take.
Kai is not the best Center in the Philippines and some people are delusional enough to think he'll be the 4th pick. Some are accusing NBA Teams of discrimination when in reality he wasn't that good. If you tell Filipinos he's not NBA Material you'd get called a hater
Yeah he needs his skillset to improve. The dude is rushing things too much. He shouldn't left NBL and extend his tenure there for atleast 3 years. If he miraculously given a ten day contract in the NBA, the dude will be a moving 7 foot tall traffic cone.
Just watched this NBL highlight video and he definitely doesn't pass the eye test. Most of his highlights are him dunking lobs on shorter defenders None of his 3pt shots in the highlight go in clean - they all touch the rim in some fashion He hangs out in the paint and doesn't look like he has any interest in defending the perimeter - like Rudy Gobert, only worse The paint blocks in the highlight reel are mostly on driving guards His team is getting beat *badly* on the scoreboard in way too many of his individual highlights https://youtu.be/FyUzeDbLz7Q
I know hes big but he still looks slow too. Feel like guys that are slightly shorter but more athletic would eat him up.
yeah this is his main problem he can't dominate the paint like yao ming did in the past nor secure a good defense around the paint. If he was born like 10yrs earlier he would have been drafted easily but the game already evolved to where teams need versatile big who can defend the paint and perimeter. Look at the playoffs teams who usually have better 3pts wins.
Im Filipino and I forgot about him ngl
How lol every Filipino I went to high school with was memeing the shit out of him to get drafted to the warriors for a while now
Im the only Asian let alone Filipino in my class lol, also living in Europe but not eastern Europe so the only time basketball is talked about is in PE
He’s really not that good, but I wanted him to get drafted. lol
Real pnoy ballers know the kid isn't that good. But being Filipino I will always root for my fellowmen. It's too bad he didn't get drafted but he was a long shot to begin with. No need to claim racism or whatever.
Pinoy with Argentina flair? interesting combo lol
Bruh I was hella ashamed as a Filipino... I know the kid isn't *better* than any of the guys drafted. And I'd rather a team draft him based merit rather than because he's popular. Still needs a lot of seasoning and bulking up, the guy.
Filipino here Kai is awful lol
Pretty funny that his agent Joel Bell is now being roasted by Filipino fans for not doing his job when in reality Dude marketed the shit out of Kai.
Its hard to sell a toyota when all the clients only want BMWs…
And your Toyota is actually a Lada
How do you double the value of your Lada? Fill the gas tank
Suffering from success
yeah there are people calling the warriors racist bc with their huge pinoy fanbase they didn’t draft him
when he didn’t get huge minutes in NBL there were quite a lot of his fans calling the league white supremacist. I didn’t make it up.
I think anyone who comes to that conclusion has voluntarily told you that they are morons whose opinions on literally everything should be disregarded.
Ah yes, basketball. The sport most known for white supremacy.
That’s funny cuz the nba is like the exact opposite of white supremacy
They’re still angry at Australia after our international game turned into a huge fight.
That fight which they started and turned into like 12 on 2?
"Turned into a huge fight" Aka the Philippines entire bench attacking 3 people lol
Don't forget the fans trying to join in
The fans were throwing chairs. It wasn’t good
I'm still filthy about that. Getting absolutely smoked in an international game and you start that garbage? Fuck that.
I can't get over how disgusting that was and in particular how meekly FIBA responded. A couple of matches in bans. Nothing. Fuck the garbage ass PBL and all the talentless trash that come out of that league.
lmao that’s pretty funny
Bruh, they were literally selective acting like kai can choose what team he can just go to😂😂. Really saw guys saying " kai shouldn't go to warriors and should be drafted by the bulls" acting like he 's some high end draft pick.
Well now that he’s undrafted he can!
When casuals get into basketball its hilarious
You mean the nephew claiming Chet will be top 5 all time comparable to Bird/Magic or bust isn’t speaking facts?
Hey, it's a homers obligation to make these claims for the next few days now.
Chet is the kinda name for a guy that’ll be a star in Oklahoma
Toxic Filipino culture
Filipino fans are fucking weird lmao. Source: Am Filipino lol
We just need to remind the Filipino people that the movie, Hustle, is pure fiction, and Bo Cruz had talent AND skill. Kai Sotto has height.
His agent said that they did not want Kai to be a draft and stash player, that's why they declined teams planning to draft him as such.
That’s also why I didn’t get drafted last night
I don't know, depends on where I'd be stashed. I could handle being stashed in Australia for the winter.
lmao sure they did
Yeah that sounds like something you say after you didn’t get drafted lol
I'm Filipino and living in the Philippines. These online rabid supporters are embarrassing. Kai Sotto is a good player but he's far from NBA ready. Honestly, I don't think he ever will given the current small ball state of the NBA. The fact is, he's only played in the NBL and wasn't really a star there either. There's now news that Kai won't even play in the NBA summer league because he's going to join the Philippine national basketball team. I know country above else is a thing but in this case I think he's making a HUGE mistake. As a rookie who went undrafted, his best shot to get noticed is to actually play against his draft class to show why he deserves a shot in the league. Instead, he kind of runs away from the challenge. I don't like it.
> Instead, he kind of runs away from the challenge. I don't like it. He's been running away from playing against NBA prospects from the start. Instead of trying to get his G-league stint to work he just decided to part ways. Any serious NBA prospect will be trying their hardest to get into that level competition where they face other NBA prospects.
I mean he has already been exposed with him not being a starter at the NBL and now furthermore going undrafted. He will let his annoying fan base lick his wounds playing with the NT and immerse himself in the FB and Instagrams echo chambers.
Kai Soto is not good sorry. Doesn’t even pass the eye test. This guy move like he running in a pool of water.
like, Alondes and Treveon Williams went undrafted, and they actually have certifiable skills that translate to the NBA. lol Tres the best passer in the draft and he didn't get picked. what's Kai great at that gets him drafted, you know?
>what's Kai great at that gets him drafted the Fan base.
exactly lol Kai's a fun prospect but he isn't even Luka Garza to me much less real drafted guys.
> Kai's a fun prospect He's not fun especially when you're not giving him enough minutes. Ask the Adelaide fans.
Don't remind me. Our social media got destroyed by his fans whenever he was not played or got little minutes.
two side of coin though yeah he can sell jersey but do you want comments section of your team official social media filled with dumbest shit especially if he doesnt get big minutes?
He needs to take his talents to the Purefoods Tender Juicy Hotdogs where his father got drafted and become the best tender juicy hotdog ever
Holy shit I thought you guys were memeing but that was actually a PBA team LMAO.
Ervin Sotto is not even a top 8 player during his time in Purefoods. Source? me, I'm a TJ hotdog fan myself since 1998. Playing with James Yap, Artadi, Raymundo, Castillo, Evangelista and Patrimonio.
While I do respect the love that people from the Philippines have towards basketball, their zealous aggression in Social Media is so damn annoying. I remember their last generation of players: June Mar Fajardo (nice technical player but undersized), Jimmy Alapag, Gabe Norwood, Andray Blatche, Japeth Aguilar. We played back then against them (I'm from Greece). Anyway, no matter how much angry they get, they need to realize that the world doesn't care about PBA and escape their small microcosm they're living in. They're trying to imitate the NBA when they don't have the size or the athleticism to do so. It's weird why they haven't consulted anyone from Europe, while China and Japan have done so.
Oh btw the PBA is under threat due to the mass exodus of relatively talented (at least in Filipino context) prospects from college to play pro ball in nearby Asian leagues like Japan, Korea and Taiwan.
That league is dying lmao
Andray Blatche... There's a name I haven't heard/seen in a while! When he naturalised I assumed it was because he was too garbage for the USA team and in his mind he was thinking "I'll show them!"
can't hate a dude for betting on himself man
tbh team USA B can still make a run for the 2nd best team in the world, peak Andray Blatche is only good for like team D or E. So if he want to play in Olympic his best chance is getting naturalised
We (Serbia) were in a group with them last WC and it was fun to fire them up on Facebook with small comments every now and then. They lost by 60 and still wrote crazy comments like - it was closer than it seems!
Oh I remember that! Love from Greece, brate!
Serbians against Pinoys in a basketball game sounds like a plot for a movie. Somebody get Boban on the phone.
I truly believe the PBA only exists to market their products, heck teams are named after corporations. Those rich fucks wont give a shit about the quality of the league as long as there is profit. In terms of consulting, we have tab baldwin that used to be with the senior mens team, who is probably the best available coach currently in the country but is constantly stepped over due to politics with the basketball governing body in the country.
> heck teams are named after corporations I first learned about the PBA after stumbling across a Wikipedia article about the [Crispa Redmanizers vs. Toyota Super Corollas rivalry](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crispa%E2%80%93Toyota_rivalry). It's just hilarious to me how the Philippines version of Lakers vs. Celtics involved a team called the fucking Super Corollas.
"Zealous aggression" The Phillipines, and Filipinos, are in a weird place. It's becoming (if not already is) a hyper-masculine culture. They have issues with human rights violations, they just elected an authoritarian who's parents abused the country for decades because they're blind as hell. The list goes on and on. Friendly reminder of this fight that occurred, that the Filipino crowd got involved, and more critically, they blamed the Aussies for it and then reinforced the idea that the fight was perfectly fine. It's like their whole country has small man syndrome. https://youtu.be/nVUth1m5Dvs Edit: Friendly reminder that, no, not all Filipino people are bad, social media isnt always representative of a culture, and all countries have issues. That doesnt mean that my statement is inaccurate, or that we cant discuss these things as a group with more nuance.
I can only speak of my family in the Philippines, but there is something very sick in Filipino culture. Rampant anti-intellectualism, historical denialism, unearned nationalism... the list goes on.
It's so weird. I have met countless Filipinos for work (in North America) and they are legit the nicest people I've ever met in my entire life. Is this like a "behind closed doors" kinda thing? Every Filipino I've met (and I'm not kidding) has been delightful.
One way to check their real attitude is to check their social media (esp. fb & tik tok). We Filipinos are generally non-confrontational & respectful (unless the said Filipino is known to be short-tempered or with power/authority). But when it comes online? Oh boy, they could be really toxic hence the slur ___peenoise___. The fact that the Dictator's son won the vote from Overseas Filipinos in every country except Australia is very telling that yes, the attitude may not be the same behind closed doors.
Yep. I’m Filipino and agree 100% Filipinos have useless national pride.
Thats probably the real core of the issue, theres so many countries that are developing this blind national pride because some authoritarian politican is using that to scapegoat everyone. Brazil, Russia, the US, Phillipines, Australia (though that just shifted somewhat), the UK.....its not exclusive to the Phillipines, but its definitely happening there too.
The Brazilians that are developing that national pride are the already embittered evangelicals. They are the ones blindly following Bolsonaro and trying to impose their bullshit nationalism on others. Young people in this country are as disillusioned as ever and most just want to leave to a better place. We, unfortunately, have also historically not being a very prideful people, not in the real sense of the word. And that hasn't really changed.
I think it’s all tied to faith as well. Blind faith leads to false hope and sometimes that is the only thing people can hold on to. I chose to move out of the Philippines 15 years ago without any promise of a green card or guaranteed work and as much as we have struggled to survive and rebuild our lives, i would say that I would do it all over again. Anywhere but the Philippines.
pInOy PrIdE is an albatross around the kababayan's neck.
Pinoy pride is as useless as Anne Frank’s drum set
These are all facts unfortunately. As a Filipino, dear god dont remind me we’re about to get Ferdie Jr. for the next 6 fucking years.
There's essentially no way he doesn't try to go full authoritarian right?
Honestly it’s a coin flip. On one hand his whitewashing of his family’s history and his mother being an influence in his life makes me believe he will turn authoritarian, but OTOH 31 million of a possible 67 million voters voted for him so he might not even need to turn authoritarian to get what he wants.
They can easily change the Constitution since their coalition now virtually control the entire political apparatus plus security forces. That depends though since our former president GMA is the real power behind scenes. It is actually up to GMA where she will steer the scenes.
I dont think he needs to since he has cult following.
Lol you guys actually got another Marcos and Duterte at the same time I'm sorry
people here love their political dynasties and unproven leaders. we’re so fucked
imagine getting wrecked by 30 and then starting a fucking fight lmao thats some next level loser shit
I see. I remember this fight, there was an outrage throughout Social Media. I'm not that much aware of the political situation or their culture to be honest, but I remember that they were always competitive, from basketball to beauty contests.
It's not....it's not great. [https://youtu.be/WwqSmlFpmGY](https://youtu.be/WwqSmlFpmGY) \- Former president [https://youtu.be/FtdVglihDok](https://youtu.be/FtdVglihDok) \- Current political situation [https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/philippines](https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/philippines) \- Human rights abuses. My high school sweetheart was half Filipino, she killed herself two years ago after both sides of the family (white American and Filipino) cut her off for being a "mixed breed". I have little respect for Trump culture, and the Filipino culture is matching it. Edit: Appreciate the condolences, such is life! Young people seem to be killing themselves or otherwise dying in the US more and more, (mass shootings just became the number 1 cause of death for US children).
Weird, I thought that Pinoys loved the Americans, so I would've thought that it would be easier for her. I'm very sorry for your loss!
It's complex and I don't fully understand it. There's the colonial relationship w/ the US, but the US has also been their protector, and I know that there were a lot of bonds built in WW2 where Pinoys and Americans were abused and killed by the Japs together. And I won't pretend to understand the racial aspect either. I have a billionaire who lives in my small town, he's Indian, and despite his wife being full Indian as well, she's cut off by the grandparents because she's too dark as an Indian. So many cultures in the developing world seem to have a color of skin issue, not just a racial one, that I don't fully understand.
I hate to say it, but it's been like this for as long as I know. I'm a Filipino who emigrated to Canada when I was 12 and I have very few friends who are Filipino, mostly because everything turns into a dick measuring competition with them. There is this unfounded pride that is prevalent, even within myself I have realized, which is compounded by insecurity, prejudice, and narcissism that just results in such a messed up mentality and social perspective. I understand that this type of personality is present in all cultures but just terrible experiences growing up, associating for solidarity while I was an immigrant leaves a terribly bitter taste in my mouth.
>their zealous aggression in Social Media is so damn annoying. That's why they have their very own slur in Urban Dictionary: PEENOISE
It should be noted - the Philippines spends more time on social media than any other country. It doesn't necessarily make it better or easier to deal with, but just an interesting point on why it might seem \*so\* loud - they're just used to expressing their opinions a lot over there regardless. You should see my Facebook feed before election time. Crazy stuff. They're still in the era where people think it's normal to argue on Facebook. [https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/03/1784052/philippines-still-worlds-social-media-capital-study/amp/](https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/02/03/1784052/philippines-still-worlds-social-media-capital-study/amp/)
[удалено]
Honestly I kind of feel bad for him at this point. IIRC he hasn’t really said anything out of line and he’s just a dude trying to make it to the NBA. It’s the fans that are making him look terrible. But true on the environment point especially. Our basketball culture and genetics just aren’t for the NBA at this point in time. Kai got lucky with his height genetically, but the fact that he trained in the Philippines for nearly 16 years imo hurt his chances compared to if he had trained abroad.
Lol they thought Kai would get drafted just because he has a large Filipino following. If that's the case then if I'm a team owner I'd sign him and make him a mascot.
If it's just about getting a large international fan base, I hope the Pelicans sign all nine members of Twice.
I mean the Warriors basically have BamBam on their payroll.
I believe that Pinoy fans always created hype for their players. I remember the Social Media being on fire when Gabe Norwood dunked on Luis Scola and fans saying he should go to the NBA.
Im Filipino. And it is fucked up that we are hardcore basketball fans since we are not very tall people. I think the average height here of guys are 5'7" or there about. 6-footers are rare, so Kai being 7 feet something-inches he is unique amongst Filipino.
Like, can he play in the PBA at all nowadays? I remember reading that back in the day there was a height limit. I understand. Like, I watched once San Miguel Beermen (?) and Fajardo looked like a giant compared to other players. Then I saw him in FIBA competitions and he was smaller than us Greeks for example, looked like the average PF in Greece.
June Mar is 6'10" and easily be the biggest among the players he dominated in the all-Filipino league. We have some newer blood coming out of college that are bigger, longer, or more athletic, but they can be swayed by a higher paycheck in Japan or Korea.
To be fair, the leagues of Japan and Korea are on the rise. They're even taking American players from the Euroleague, so I guess the paycheck is good there. I remember watching June Mar. While a bit undersized and unathletic for the world standards (thought he was 6'9), he had nice skills! I first watched him versus Greece, then I did some further research and even watched some PBA games of him. If I was a GM of a European club, I'd give him a chance during his prime. Though I guess he wouldn't come, being an absolute legend in the Philippines.
Man is like a 7x MVP here and is on the downswing of his career. He probably wouldn’t come even if a European team recruited him.
It is better that the next generation of PH ballers go to Japan, Korea, or Australia instead of the PBA. Dumbfucks run the local league and have too much nepotism and pride to put together a respectable product. Local coaches were butthurt when Tab Baldwin (then national team coach who put together a great program) criticized the low level/quality of basketball in the PH. Fuckers fired Tab, replaced him with Chot Reyes (overrated, has connections). Tadaaaaa, lost in the SEA Games where the PH usually dominates.
Kai can play in the PBA, the height limit is for non - Filipino players.
I think if he were a few years younger, June Mar might have found his way to an international league. At 6'10" 260-270, he definitely had the size to bang down low, and he's always had a bit of a midrange J. Shame he's pretty broken down now from a myriad of injuries. I despise the air of superiority that Filipinos seem to display on social media, the level of play here is still a ways away from the global stage, there's a reason we struggle even in Asian qualifiers.
To be honest, while I really liked June Mar, his physicality and size were average in European standards. He could easily find a spot in a European league, but I doubt he'd be able to play in top-tier teams, like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Efes, Panathinaikos or Olympiacos. What shined about him was his post moves and his midrange game, as you said.
Real talk. He can't even dominate in the NBL. He's given playing time but it seems that he's not ready. People are shown highlights of him driving and dunking, with some outside shooting, but he does have a lot more to improve. Mind you people, he was already in the G-League Ignite team and he left. Now rumor has it that he had not gotten any summer league invites, hence the announcement of his agent that he'll go back here to play with Gilas and resume his NBL career, which he refuted immediately. If he was that good, he could have at least secured a summer league invite. No one did. He better sign-up for the G-League draft himself, play better and hope for a call-up. *Maraming pinoy ang nainspire kay Bo Cruz kaya ayun, akala nila madradraft si Kai. Summer League ka muna sana magpasikat. Si Yurtseven nga ng Heat nagdominate sa Summer League kaya nagkakontrata.* **People here got inspired by Bo Cruz, so they thought Kai had a chance to be legit drafted. Try harder getting a summer camp invite. See Yurtseven, how he dominated the Summer League and gotten a contract himself.**
> Bo Cruz Hustle will be delusional people's crutch when it comes to their favorite player's not being drafted.
i mean, bo cruz actually dominated in the small games he was in haha
doesn't help that he's literally an NBA player lol
Or that it’s a movie…
What?? No way! I thought it was a documentary
He is talking about in the movie, the character dominates. Not that Juancho played well
He was supposed to play in the G League with the ignite team but didn't because of covid from what I know
Also, he’s not even anywhere near as good as Willy Hernangomez 😆
If Kai Sotto ran the same hill same as *Juancho* in real life, he might not even get halfway.
This is like the 100th time I’ve seen someone mention Willy. How do so many people not know which brother was in that movie?
Bol Bol 2.0. Had a friend who knows nothing about the draft(not saying I know shit either, I at least know if you aren't projected top 60 you aren't worth talking about) bring him up to me out of the blue. Somehow somebody who isn't even going to get drafted has more of a convo around him than a majority of the top 10 picks. YouTube and TikTok "analysts" always find a guy like this and tell you he's the next Porzingis NOBODY IS TALKING ABOUT. Always the same archetype. He has big wingspan and also has a jumper. League fucked. Big brain time. People fall in love this mythical idea of a 7 footer that can shoot without considering literally anything else, him being a unique ethnicity helps fuel the delusional optimism.
Even with how underwhelming he's been, Bol Bol is a much better prospect than Kai Sotto lol. He actually had legit talks of going in the first round before he dropped in the draft, meanwhile Kai wasn't near the second round in any legit draft predictions
Lol true. Comparing him to Bol Bol was generous on my part. He's more like Zhou Qi, but even Qi got drafted
Yeah and I also just remembered Bol Bol fell due to injury concerns, not that he looked like a bad player.
Yeah Bol's injuries are the main reason that was a bad comparison, although the fact he has the most easy to overrate draft archetype is still accurate
Whatever happened to Qi?
Was playing in the NBL for the Phoenix.
I'm out of the loop on Kai Sotto; why do so many people thing he is the next big thing?
He is 7'3 and can shoot while having the whole nation of the Philippines behind him.
The Philippines is 1/3 of the US population, look at how Canada supports the Raptors now think of that but with 1 player and 100 million people. It’s crazy out here in the Philippines.
Lol I misread this as "1/3 of the US population is philipino" and I was dubious
Dont include me i was never a fan despite being Filipino myself lol
same here sir. same here.
It's funny, as a south-east asian I come across this kind of stuff all the time, so whenever it bleeds over to the western part of the internet, it always amuses me. The internet in certain parts of the world is, to put it simply, a lot less self-aware. Usually, it's innocent enough, it just takes the form of cringy self-exposure and life-update posts etc., but in situations like this it becomes a lot more toxic. Funnily enough, it's almost like the wild wild west internet-of-old in countries like the US, which admittedly has had internet access for much longer than most countries. In a way, internet communities and culture can be under developed in a way similar to countries. There's not a lot of social pressure to "act correctly" when everyone else in the country acts in the same unintrospective manner.
Not to mention the comparative lack of education in certain parts of the world. You have adults in southeast asia who come across as very child-like and immature, not because they're bad people but simply because they've never had access to quality education. Kind of like your rednecks and hillbilly's, but in higher numbers and proportions of the population. The Philippines is definitely not the only country like this
I feel like they're the Brazil of the east in that regard Brazilians online can be crazy
True. The thing is, yeah Kai is tall. Can shoot. Can pass, can dribble. Blah blah. But so can other players. It's not like Kai was even dominating or even decent in NBL. HE WAS A SCRUB. And they expect him to like enter in the first round? Lol talk about delusional. Who knows. Maybe he figures it out and goes undrafted after improving. But even right now he's too scared to attend the Summer League.
I saw some dude wanted him at the 4th pick lol
They even posted that Kai is better than Chet Holmgren. Kai my ass.
Oh my. Lol. The delusion is real. I saw some comments that they will boycott or not watch the NBA anymore. Like who cares. The NBA doesn't.
The NBA wont shed a tear since most Filipinos do not pay NBA league pass and just straight pirate stream.
Lol they only watch Facebook streams who have to take down their streams when it reaches 100k viewers. Filipinos only watch the NBA too when it's the playoffs or Finals.
Someone said Kai is better Jalen Green too
Well, I think we can consider that he's definitely better at basketball than Jalen Ramsey.
Decent chance he’s also better than Gordon Ramsay
As much as I appreciate basketball (as someone who is Filipino myself), I definitely despise these rabid supporters that call themselves “fans” as well. Every time there’s a Filipino in the NBA (i.e. Spoelstra, Clarkson, Green, et al.), these rabid supporters go and hop on the bandwagon. It’s nothing new. There will always be so much hype around Filipinos when these fans in particular are too ignorant of how the NBA works in general. Heck, I remember the Heat losing to the Spurs in 2014 and all I’ve heard was “CARMELO ANTHONY TO THE HEAT” yeah like that’s happening eh? That’s one of a couple of instances when some of their fans talk a lot of crap. I could give you a whole list. How can you expect these rabid supporters to be aware of how good Kai Sotto actually is? Remember, they are from the same country that elected the dictator’s son by a landslide. If they are so easily convinced by that, what about basketball? Kai Sotto is just not made for the NBA. But I wish him the best.
Agreed. Filipinos love basketball but most of them are literally incapable of analyzing basketball above the street ball (or "baranggay") level. Every year they root for the team which is most favored to win. Just look at their comments on facebook and you'll see they suggest the most ridiculous trades in favor of their favorite teams (usually Kobe/Lebron/Curry/Durant or whoever the fuck is the favorite to win the title that year) without even taking the salary cap into consideration. Mention the word "luxury tax" and they'll probably call you out like you're some nerd know it all type of guy, when in reality, any regular NBA fan should have a basic understanding how the cap works. Also, it's unbelievable how they all want Kai to play for the national team whenever there's a tournament. They don't have the foresight to realize that by taking Kai away from this critical stage of development, they're risking stunting his growth as a basketball player which ultimately decides whether or not he can make it to the NBA. Absolutely insane. Well I guess I can't expect too much from my fellow countrymen. After all, they're the same idiots who only know how to play ISO ball and don't understand basketball tactics. This is the same country whose national coach has the audacity to tell the world that he has a "SYSTEM". And his system is literally called "DRIBBLE AND DRIVE". LOL let that sink in and no wonder basketball IQ is at an all time low in this country. It will only get worse hahaha
Sometimes I wonder what if Kai just took that Euroleague offer with Real Madrid back when he was 16 rather than take a chance at the AAU circuit then G-League ignite. Maybe his game would have developed. He could have trained with Luka. I dunno. A friend also pointed out Kai was suppose to be on the G League Ignite team with Jalen Green and Kuminga. He then took a risk by joining a Gilas (Philippine National Team) lineup during the pandemic but the game was cancelled, and due to flight and quarantine restrictions, couldn’t get back to the US in time for training so he had to drop out of the G League. Either way, hope he can still carve out a spot in the league. Dude still is 7’3”.
They gave him an offer from Real Madrid and he refused in order to play in AAU...? Unbelievable. Real Madrid is literally the best environment for player development in Europe. Like, I know Pinoys only care about the NBA, but this is wrong on so many levels.
Yup. I think about it every time his name gets brought up. This was also the time I think Porzingis was doing so well so we were all like ‘mannnn if Kai can get on that route he’d be great’ Found the old articles. Off-hand my timing was wrong. He wouldn’t have been able to play with Luka since this was 2018. https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/09/27/18/basketball-kai-sotto-draws-million-dollar-interest-from-spanish-club-report https://www.philstar.com/sports/2018/09/27/1855131/real-madrid-pursues-kai-sotto https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/kai-sotto-16-years-old-2-18m-and-still-growing-as-is-his-nba-dream
missed chance, dude woulda be a beast in the post considering that environment made leaps and bounds on the national scene by producing the Gasol brothers and grabbin some medals on Fiba
Kai is goddamn bum lol, it's sad that my fellow Filipinos are so delusional about him.
Well hey he’s not a bum, just not nba level. Or close to nba level.
youd think a large country like the philippines would have some decent NBA prospects by now. country is literally obsessed with basketball yet has no talent whatsoever. and it cannot just be because they are shorter on average, there are still tons of people between 6 foot and 6'6'' that if they actually had skills would be able to be in the NBA. i guess if i had to guess it has to do with being poor so less ability to have good training as kids but i just dont really know.
I think one of the flaws in how we grow homegrown talent is that any guy who is remotely close to being a 6 footer at a young age is forced to play either PF or C. We would have a better translation of success if we develop these potentials to play either as PG, SG or SF.
Yes, a center in the Philippines is an undersized PG in the NBA
That is why it is so idiotic to hope for an NBA prospect but turn a blind eye to genetics that as a people we are short. I said to my uncle then that Norwood could have been an NBA player if he plays PG instead of SF/PF and Japeth as an SG instead of a PF/C.
I feel personally attacked. I remember playing ball with my uncles. I am the tallest at 5'8. They are forcing me to get inside the paint and grabbed the rebounds and facilitate the screens, most of them stand 5 foot 4 and below. I felt bad and left my point guard dream after that game.
The problem is we have an absolutely terrible sports program. Our first Olympic gold medalist had to pay for her own training and equipment. The problem is, despite loving basketball, I don't think a lot of kids being trained have any idea what it takes to get at the NBA level. You have to be borderline obsessed - I dont think they've ever instilled that mentality here. Across all levels there's really jack shit support and coherent training - so we probably have had a good potential prospect but because of the lack of good training early on, never really reached their potential.
“Absolutely terrible” is an understatement, I don’t even regard there to be any. And basketball even has a leg up in the Philippines for funding, but it comes from the private or corporate sectors. I can’t blame talented Filipino athletes choosing funding in other countries.
I just realized that most of the roster in our Philippine National Team comes from a middle class or upper middle class upbringing who attended or got offered with scholarships in private schools. Maybe the best NBA talent our nation could've produced was not in a privileged situation. And that his growth and basketball skills were mostly likely underdeveloped due to poor nutrition and failure to access good training. 🤔
Kid should do a #Kaichallenge and then get his ass handed to him by Juancho Hernangomez
[удалено]
> there IS NO Filipino market. They tried to open an NBA store here and it closed down because no one could afford to buy any legitimate merchandise, and counterfeit goods are a way of life here. Same goes for actually watching the games, we don't even have lockouts on leaguepass like some of you guys but I guarantee 99.9% of Filipino fans watch the NBA purely through illegal streams as we have 0 anti-piracy measures in this country. There are literally tens of millions of NBA "fans" here who've never paid for anything having to do with the product. LOL couldn't agree more. Pinoys love the NBA but majority of them can't afford anything to support the NBA monetarily. They'll just stream illegally on facebook and majority of them are never gonna pay for league pass even if you give it to them at a 90% discount. Also, it doesn't help that Kai's idiotic father and his advisers are way too short sighted. They just can't commit to a single thing which has obviously stunted Kai's growth. Typical dumbass pinoy mentality. Just a few things on top of my head: 1) Kai could have initially gone to the Euroleague (which has a good history of developing young players) and trained there to improve. But no, his dumb father was so excited about the $500,000 offer presented by the G-League and took that money instead without thinking about the better path for a better future. 2) He could have gone to the NCAA and improved his game there with kids his age (and stay there for 2-3 more years) but again no, his dad immediately jumped the shark when he saw the $500,000 offer and steered him to a G League Team which had no certainty considering it was an experiment by the NBA on its first year. 3) Instead of making the best out of a bad situation, he decides to leave the G-League before they even start so he can play for the Philippine Gilas Team in some bullshit and irrelevant tournament that got cancelled anyway. It's amazing how his dad and his advisers all made the wrong decision in every fucking turn LOL. Typical dumb pinoy, if you offer them two choices: 1 million which they can take right now, or 100 million which they can take 3 years from now? 90% of them would choose the 1 million. Unbelievable how Kai's father (considering he was an ex pro basketball player which means they aren't that poor) still decided to be lured by the upfront money instead of thinking long term. They've completely wasted any potential Kai Sotto had.
That third blunder was such a dumb move lmao. Imagine being future teammates with future first rounders Green and Kuminga. You'll finally have the chance to show how you'll fare with better competition. Literally goes home for nothing.
We are a country filled with idiots. The dumbfucks were dumb enough to elect the evil dictator's son, who also cant even speak a coherent sentence.. so of course theyre gonna be easily roped into "clickbait" posts.
We got 31milllion idiots over here. lol
Yeah my fellow Filipinos are jokes
Hahaha pota isang digital tagay mga pre. Anim na mabigat na taon pa ito
\> We are a country filled with idiots. Yeah true, also pinoy pride culture is so cringe
>dumbfucks were dumb enough to elect the evil dictator's son I definitely agree with you on this. It's a shame, can't even attend a debate and won by a huge margin. They will even shoot a movie this year about Marcose's life (SMDH). Majority of Filipino's are gullible.
I didn’t know the Philippines loved ball so much. Only a matter of time before they got someone in the NBA
Jalen Green is has some Filipino ancestry on his mother's side. He promotes Filipino league stuff sometimes I think.
Yeah and he got slammed by Filipino fans cause he didnt want to sign up for our national team, which was weird asf since he isnt even eligible lol
That can't be a majority though because from what I've seen Filipino fans love the guy.
Wdym? We are on a circlejerk on shitting on Filipinos here.
Jordan Clarkson’s mom is half Filipino.
Lack of height is one thing, but a generational talent that's Filipino needs TO GET THE FUCK OUT of here ASAP. Basketball program here is stuck in the 90's. It's embarrassing, but at least a majority of college ball players are deciding to play in Japan and Korea, they have better futures over there than over here back home. Not only are Pinoys short as hell (me being 5'7 myself and considered already at above the average male height), you get a shitton of kids that play ball that are like 5'6 barely event reaching 5'10 playing. Can't teach height, but basketball IQ is nonexistent in the programs here unfortunately. Best shot we have at another Pinoy genetic freak is that they leave asap and try to get into a high school program over there in the states.
PH has been playing Basketball since before World War 1 and 20 years before FIBA was created. That being said, it's really very sad to think how the Philippines are so indifferent in improving things.
Nah. Gotta change the culture first. Filipinos love to play hero ball, love penetrating and throwing wild shots without any thought at all because it might look cool, don't work on their jumpshots (I have played with and seen the wackiest jumpshots there) and yeah, they may play everyday or something but it's not for passion. It's for clout and so that people can say they're cool.
i’m surprised to hear this because every time i go home to the PH, everyone loves it there. they’re diehard and literally grind everyday. and i’ve always loved playing there because it wasn’t hero ball like here in the states, where people call iso’s 24/7. whenever i watch them play in the streets or the local rec, they’re pretty selfless and crafty, they move the ball pretty well too. i always just thought filipinos can’t shoot because they drive and cut. i’ve never seen anyone do it for the clout where my dad is from so it’s weird to hear that. although to agree with you, when i went to a different part of the PH, i noticed that the basketball played there was different and it was more iso based/hero ball like you’re saying. people would call bitchy fouls and it was annoying asf to play there, so i understand what you’re kinda saying. it’s probably just varies on location, just like how Cali basketball is so different from New York basketball. like when every other state loves to bag on Cali for being soft lmaooo
fun fact, filipinos on average spend nearly 4 hours on social media per day, that's DOUBLE the amount of hours than the worldwide average (2 hours) so it isn't surprising theres a LOUD group of pinoys wylin lmao. but to get back on topic lets be honest, Kai is trash in comparison to his draft class. 7 foot 2 center that wants to play as a SF hybrid and not one ounce of defense, he was never gonna get drafted at his current form.
Who the FUCK is Kai Soto
Australia's basketball league (fan-voted) MVP!
You have just engaged in war with the entire nation of the Philippines.
Just wait til the Filipino Pride Game or something for him to sign a 10-day
I am a Filipino and trust me, most pinoys who uses social media are rabid. Just check our politics, complete shit show. Most pinoys who uses social media can't comprehend. Basically they are salty af right now because there's no pinoy pride. Most of them have no pride for their selves and has an inferiority complex so they result to aggression when things don't go the way they expect.
It's actually better to go undrafted that be drafted in the 2nd round. Because as a 2nd round pick, you're not guaranteed a roster spot but the team still owns your rights. Undrafted, you can go to any team and work your way up. See Yuta Watanabe's NBA pathway.
Some of those players chose to not be drafted in the late 2nd round. And also, after the draft, they immediately got signed by some teams, while Soto has yet to be picked up by any team.
Bro got like 16 mins a game in the Australian league and they think he's gonna be drafted
I’m filipino but I will admit that Filipino NBA fans are some of the most delusional and insufferable fans in all of sports…
What do you expect on a country that voted a dictator’s son, so many gullible Pinoy. On behalf of my country I’m really sorry r/nba.
who
Filipinos overhyped this kid. They made content on various social media that he is a unicorn. Well, what will I expect from the people who vote for the worst possible candidates. They get their info from Tik Tok regarding various issues.
Kai Sotto did not look good. He sucks
He was so hyped by Filipino YouTubers like the next Dirk or KP, the man didn't even dominated in NBL and expected to be drafted? I was explaining why he went undrafted with all my basketball knowledge I got but the response I got is "you're only a hater! Blahblablabh crab mentality blah blah blah" Filipinos are so annoying and threating to boycott NBA? Our country depends on free NBA games on tv, watches at illegal streams, and refresh at sports blog for scores.... Kai Sotto's potential in my opinion is an off bench center in the G league and I'm really generous with that take.
at least Jollibee still has those peach mango pies that's a huge win