"The Filo". Haha I only just watched this episode of Always Sunny In Philadelphia last night.

"The Jew"

When it was first announced that he was signing with Adelaide I talked to a buddy of mine involved in bball in the Philippines who knew quite a bit about him and the folks advising him. His comment at the time was that they are far too focused on getting him into the NBA vs actually developing his skills against good competition. Honestly, the way he looked late in the season he'd have been much better served taking a page out of Hukporti's book and returning for another season. There's something there with Sotto, just not sure it's the NBA. He's not mobile enough.

Is anyone able to fill me in with how the NS Program works for the players that have declared for the draft, I'm assuming that if Kai, Travers etc. go undrafted (likely) they cant return to the NBL in a NS roster spot?

Tom Digbeu is another one, sorry mistake about Travers he hasnt been rostered as a NS player

NS contracts are 2 years so if they're drafted there is a buyout from the NBA team and if they aren't they are free to return to the NBL team they are contracted to.

Yeah I would assume that even if they're drafted if the team drafting them wants to stash rather than bring them over right away they'd still be contracted to their NBL side?

Kai isn't a NS.
ADL - King
WOL - Jessup
MEL - Hukporti
SYD - Makur
BRI - Digbeu
NZ - Dieng

makes sense thanks guys. Jessup is a good example of a draft and stash.

Looking at that Next Star list, will be interesting to see what Mojave King's next move is.

Kai Sotto's agent Joel Bell says NBA teams have committed to draft him.

"He would have been drafted last year if he had been able to be in the draft. He'll be drafted this year if he chooses to remain in the draft," Bell told Philstar.com. “We don't know [which round] exactly right now, but we have some assurances that he would be drafted.”

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2022/04/29/2177642/kai-sottos-agent-says-nba-teams-committed-draft-prospect

I call BS - the agent just trying to get his bonus early as possible.

Kai needs more experience and broader skills before he can be sure of surviving in the NBA, where most athletic tall players will eat him alive.

All the best to him cos he seems like a really nice guy and has potential, but I think he's trying too soon.

I'm not Filipino and was sceptical if he would make any impact this season, but some team will risk at least a second rounder on him and stash him for another year or 2 while he adds some bulk and experience. The upside is huge and a lot worse players have been drafted and given time to develop.

It is the 1st of May today not April.

Perthworld, exactly.

Agreed Frisbee, 7'3" with his range it's likely some team will take a flyer on him and then send him some where to develop just a shame it probably won't be back in Adelaide. He might never play in the NBA but I'll be surprised if he doesn't get drafted though.

I think Kai has some great tools for his size, and for 7'3 you cant really question his mobility too much. Making the NBA one day shouldn't be out of the question but I am not sure he is drafted this year. Hukporti is further along than Kai and he has seen sense to stick around another year. I think Kai might pull out of the draft closer to the time and stay here to work on his game.

""He would have been drafted last year if he had been able to be in the draft. He'll be drafted this year if he chooses to remain in the draft," Bell told Philstar.com. "We don't know [which round] exactly right now, but we have some assurances that he would be drafted."

https://www.philstar.com/sports/2022/04/29/2177642/kai-sottos-agent-says-nba-teams-committed-draft-prospect"

This sounds like some classic Filo delusion right here. Guaranteed to be drafted? He's not on any mock boards. I don't think he's done any solo workouts? I might be wrong there but it seems like an out-there claim. Kai may want to watch that his advisers don't have the usual case of filo over-confidence that the rest of their basketball community has a bad case of. He seems like a good kid

ME, Bell is his agent their job is to talk up their clients not to give an objective view on their standing. If he came out and said he doesn't think his client has any business getting drafted he should be fired on the spot. His exact job is to build hype and demand in his client.

"Hukporti is further along than Kai and he has seen sense to stick around another year"

Could it be that for Hukporti another year gives him a good shot at going first round and getting the guaranteed money, where as for Kai maybe even with another year he'd only be a second rounder? If that is the thinking, you're better off getting in the draft earlier rather than waiting.