Scouting the Opposition: Is Kai Sotto for real?

Kai Sotto has been mighty impressive as of late. But is he for real? (Photo Credit: Spin.ph)

Basic Information
Name: Kai Sotto Age: 14
School/Team: Ateneo Blue Eaglets
Years of eligibility left: 4
Height: 6'11"
Position: Center
Projected Position: Power Forward/Center

Quick Hits

Strengths:
- Has arguably the highest ceiling of anyone in Philippine basketball
- Great touch around the rim
- Has a great stroke from mid-range
- Is an elite shot blocker, uses his size and length to his advantage
- Very high Basketball IQ

Weaknesses:
- Needs to bulk up
- Footwork needs improvement to dominate offensively
- Athleticism isn't there yet which limits him, understandable given his age

6'11". 14 years old.

Those are the two statistics which are often most talked about when talking about Kai Sotto. There's arguments whether he's really 6'11" (6'9" is the height which has been used for the longest time), but the point is, Kai Sotto is a very tall player. 

He's tall yes. But is he for real?

After riding the bench for most of the first round, Kai Sotto has been unleashed, finishing the elimination round with averages of 4.4 points per game, 6 rebounds per game and 1.9 blocks per game. Not exactly the gaudiest of numbers, but context matters here. In his context where he has limited touches and is still a very young player, those numbers are mighty impressive. He capped of all of this by putting up a monster 17 rebound, 7 block performance against FEU in their playoff.

Despite the monster production, is he for real?

We're here to try and answer that question.

To answer that, we'll be analyzing four key components of a player's game: Offense, Defense, Physical Tools and Basketball IQ/Intangibles.

Offense

4.4 points isn't the most impressive of stats, but there's a reason behind that. For one, he gets minimal touches, and he isn't strong enough (more on that later) to manufacture baskets. Since that's the case, we'll be analyzing his offense based on what he has shown outside the box score.

The most impressive aspect of Kai's offense is his hands. He has a silky smooth stroke, and a great shooting form. He has also shown to have great touch, but there are still instances where he babies his shots leading to misses (he uses his length to grab the offensive board so this is no problem). That's something that can be easily fixed with practice and as he continues to understand how to use his physical tools. 

A problem that kids Kai's age have is finishing with both hands. Kai is a natural lefty, but he has shown the ability to easily finish put backs with his right hand. No, this isn't some awkward shot. He easily shoots these baskets with either of his hands, showing that he is an ambidextrous player/ For a kid his age (and heck, his size), this is an incredibly impressive skill. 

His footwork in the low post hasn't been seen just yet since he doesn't have the heft to create baskets down low, but you can see with the way he runs that he is a natural athlete. He runs very well for a kid his size, who has also shown the capability to be a trailer in fast break situations. In warm-ups, he has shown the capability to handle the ball, not looking awkward at all. 

When it comes to being a play maker, Kai hasn't shown much of his stuff since he barely gets the ball in the first place. But he's clearly a willing one, surveying the floor immediately in times where he gets the ball in the elbows. He could very well develop a game where he is set in the mid post area, being engaged in triangle action or even situations where he goes isolation.

Clearly, based on Kai's skillset as of this moment, he has the skills of a forward (a stretch forward at that) more than a center. That's a promising sign for a kid his size.

Defense

It's easy to credit Kai's 7 blocks against FEU and his other impressive defensive performances thanks to his height. That's an incredibly lazy analysis of Kai's defense.

Yes, Kai's immense length is a reason for his impressive performances as rim protector. But it isn't the only reason for this. He has the right timing and smarts to be able to block these shots. An even more impressive statistic to take not of in that 7 block game? Just 2 fouls.

It takes more than just height to block 7 shots then just commit 2 fouls. It takes the right amount of timing, energy and smarts to be able to block shots properly. This is something Kai has learned, timing his blocks perfectly. He isn't the best athlete out there, but with enough length, timing and willingness to block shots, he's able to stop even the highest of leapers out there.

Another impressive trait of Kai as a defender is his ability to survey the floor. He constantly swivels his head to check if cutters are about to enter the paint, and has enough agility to block shots once a cutter gets there. He's also shown the willingness to defend passing lanes, but his lack of athleticism and explosiveness (read: weak legs) hinder him from doing so. But it's a great sign that he's trying. Once he develops his body and maintains the effort, he'll be a first team all defense (read that in Tony Allen's voice) player for sure.

Physical Tools

6'11". We get it. He's an incredibly tall human being. 

Another thing that's evident with Kai?

He's incredibly thin.

That's one thing which hinders him for completely dominating opponents. He's easily pushed around by heftier foes like Kenji Roman, who are probably at least 3 years older than him. Mind you, that gap between 14 and 17/18 is a pretty big one when it comes to the development of one's body. 

It's important to take note that he is just 14 years old, so he'll eventually gain muscle as time goes by. If anything, at least Kai isn't an incredibly big guy filled with baby fats. With a proper nutritional plan and help with his coaches, he'll eventually grow into his body. 

But if anything, fans shouldn't force him to be a muscular monster like a Jeron Teng. He has a very long wingspan, and his body type is more fit for players like Kevin Durant and Kristaps Porzingis. In short, he's a long and lanky player who just needs the right amount of muscle to get by. It's not good if we force Kai to have a ton of muscle. He might have back problems in the long run.

Basketball IQ/Intangibles

His height is cool and all, but probably the most impressive thing with Kai is his Basketball IQ.

He's an intelligent player who rarely makes mistakes when it comes to decision making. He never forces to get buckets (a habit most young players have), serving his role as a magnet for the defense to the T. He focuses on grabbing boards and setting screens, and doing a good enough job at doing this.

And as mentioned before, his defensive IQ is mighty impressive, rarely committing fouls en route to blocks. This is something which will surely serve him well as he ages.

Other than that, Kai is a willing learner, intently listening to his coaches and captains' instructions. He practically has no ego, showing the willingness to improve despite the amount of hype which has centered around him even before he entered the UAAP.

Overall

I think it's proper to just calm down regarding the hype surrounding Kai Sotto. He is just a kid after all.

But it's also proper to get excited. We are clearly seeing the future of Philippine Basketball. A future NBA player? It's a stretch to say yes right now. But don't be surprised if he garners attention from schools/scouts internationally. Yes, I said it. He has the potential to be recruited abroad.

Is he for real? Given his context as a 14 year old kid who averages 4.4 points, 6 rebounds and 1.9 blocks against players who are way older, experienced and developed than him, then yes. He is for real. But the work doesn't stop for Kai Sotto. He has to do a ton more of work before he turns into the uber dominant force that we expect him to be. The scariest part? That uber dominant Kai Sotto who we expect to have may just be two years or so away from coming out.