MANILA, Philippines -- While a couple of his teammates are being projected as lottery picks, Kai Sotto's name has rarely come up in mock drafts for the 2021 NBA Rookie Draft.
The 18-year-old Sotto, however, is absent from most mock drafts, at least for 2021. It's a situation that the young Filipino says does not bother him, as he tries not to pay attention to those rankings or projections. "I'm just focused on getting better, and whatever place they rank me, it's their opinion and I can't do anything about it. So I'm just gonna focus on getting better," he added.
Sotto believes he has gotten better during his training with Team Ignite, especially with former Los Angeles Lakers coach Brian Shaw overseeing his development. But he always keeps in mind a message from his father, former pro player Ervin Sotto.