Kai Sotto gets green light from doctors to join Gilas practice

Young Filipino slotman Kai Sotto has been given the green light to join Gilas Pilipinas' practice, just less than two weeks before the Philippines makes its 2023 FIBA World Cup debut game versus Dominican Republic.

Kai Sotto FIBA PHOTO

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio made the announcement after appearing at the Philippine Sportswriters Association forum on Tuesday.

“I spoke with our doctors (Monday) and he's been cleared to play. And that's good news,” Panlilio said in the public sports forum.

Panlilio said they didn't have the chance to see the MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) results of Sotto's back injury.

“We didn't see any MRI results. What we wanted to do to really put closure and also move forward and really just focus on the games is really our doctors met,” explained Panlilio.

“The doctors of Kai and our doctor, doctor Randy Molo met and they've cleared him.”

The SBP top honcho explained that the pressing need at this point is for Sotto to get his wind back, since being sidelined by the back injury.

“Obviously, what Kai needs to do next ten days is to really improve his fitness because he's also not been playing. So I think that's one aspect of the game that he really needs to work on,” shared the amiable SBP president.

“I think he was working hard the other night, you can see that he's getting tired at some point but I think that that's the area needs to work on in the next days. He's cleared to play.”

The huge news comes as a breath of fresh air for Gilas, which is in need of Sotto's shot-blocking presence, especially against a Dominican Republic squad that will be led by NBA star Karl-Anthony Towns.

The 21-year-old Sotto hurt his back a month ago during the final game of his NBA Summer League stint with the Orlando Magic.

The 7-foot-3 Sotto joined the closed-door practice of Gilas late last week, where he participated on the shooting drills.

Sotto averaged 13.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots in the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers.