Champion coach tells Kai Sotto: 'Keep working on NBA dream'
MANILA, Philippines – Three-time NBA champion assistant coach Phil Handy believes that Filipino center Kai Sotto has the capability to make it into the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ player development coach admits having watched Sotto grow as a player, saying that given the right circumstances, he could crack an NBA roster at the right time.
“I believe he’s very talented. I don’t believe in putting timelines on athletes. I’ve had a chance to see him play for a couple of years. He’s naturally gifted. He spent some time down in Australia, and that really helped develop his game,” explained Handy, who finished his playing career as an import in the National Basketball League, where Sotto started his professional career.
“It could be this summer, it could be next year. It really just depends on the opportunity,” he added.
Handy, a 6-foot-5 former guard for the Golden State Warriors, is in the Philippines to share his knowledge with elite local school teams and the Converge FiberXers in the Philippines Basketball Association.
On Tuesday, he began his Philippine tour with a clinic at the Philippine National Police Academy in Cavite. He gained fame for personally training NBA stars like the late Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and many others.
At his arrival press conference on Monday, Handy said that Filipinos in general have the heart to play basketball at the highest level. He said that for those like Sotto, all that remains is to be given the right break to get into the big leagues.
“It really just depends on opportunity,” he continued. “Sometimes, players’ opportunities come at different times. The advice I would give Kai is to keep working, keep playing, and keep being ready for the opportunity.”
Handy’s tour goes through the Philippines and Singapore, and was organized by CST Accountants and Advisors, which has offices in Sydney, Los Angeles, New York, London and the Philippines. This is their first international sporting event.
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