NBA: Kai Sotto to skip college, join G-League pathway program

Filipino center Kai Sotto will forego college and join the NBA G-League professional pathway program.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania broke the development on Monday morning (United States time).

Kai Sotto — a 7-foot-2 center from the Philippines — has decided to skip college and will be the first international draft prospect to sign a deal in the NBA G League pro program, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 11, 2020

Sotto’s decision makes him the first international prospect to join the G-League’s professional pathway program.

Sotto, who turns 18 today, is joining the new G League team in Southern California alongside Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd and Daishen Nix. NBA’s enhanced pro development program gaining international talent. https://t.co/erlFyHqT0s

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 11, 2020

The 7-foot-2 center, who just turned 18 years old, will join the Southern California squad which also has highly-touted recruit Jalen Green.

Green announced joining the G-League a few weeks back.

An MVP out of the UAAP high school tournament, Sotto has gotten numerous offers from NCAA Division I schools.

Instead, he will go the route wherein he may be able to earn around 125,000 to 500,000 US dollars.

In the pathway program, potential NBA draft prospects will play against official G-League teams in developmental games which do not count in the team standings.