Bruton Reveals Sotto's NBL Future

It’s official. Kai Sotto will be back at the Adelaide 36ers for NBL23. 

Quizzed on whether the 2022 Fans’ MVP would return for a second season, coach C.J Bruton revealed the news all Adelaide fans were waiting to hear. 

“He is, he is,” Bruton said on the Aussie Hoopla Podcast.

The Filipino star is a hero in his home country, with ambitions to play in the NBA.

At just 20 years old and boasting a 218-centimetre frame, Sotto came into his own in the second half of last season.

He scored a career-high 21 points against Brisbane in April, before nominating for the NBA Draft. 

“Everyone has thoughts and dreams and Kai’s dream is to get to the NBA,” Bruton said. 

“I thought he was two years away from doing that. Clearly he put his name his name in and he couldn’t get it out.

“Right now it’s focusing on, ‘how do you help the 36ers and get yourself back in a spot that now everyone’s looking at you, you’re ready now?’.”

Sotto’s return, alongside new recruits Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland, as well as mainstays in Daniel Johnson, Sunday Dench and Mitch McCarron make the 36ers a daunting prospect for opposition teams.