Filipino prospect Kai Sotto will not re-join G League Ignite, the team announced today. Sotto left Ignite in January to link up with the Philippines National Team at the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifying Tournament in Qatar.
The 7-foot-2 center had permission from Ignite to leave camp, however the tournament was rescheduled. He then found himself in a bit of a predicament. The bubble was already underway and according to Philstar.com‘s Alder Almo, Sotto needed to produce six negative tests before rejoining Ignite.
“If/when Kai is interested in rejoining the team, we will begin working through any necessary COVID-19 protocols to get him back with Ignite,” Almo’s source added.
Sotto’s agent Aaron Goodwin also mentioned that he was unsure of the Filipino’s current status. With the G League reaching the half-way point, uncertainty was beginning to mount on whether Sotto would return to Ignite at all.
On February 22, Ignite Head Coach Brian Shaw responded to a question regarding Sotto’s situation, “I’m only concerned with the guy’s we have here.”
“When I hear otherwise, from those above me, then we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Shaw said. “But right now, we have 12-13 guys on our roster. I’m just coaching the guys I have here.”
The very next day, on February 23, G League Ignite announced that both parties had come to a “mutual decision” for Kai Sotto to not re-join the team.
“Kai and the team both understood the challenges for him to rejoin Ignite given the current international travel constraints, quarantine times and health and safety protocols,” said G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
“Kai will always be part of the extended Ignite family and we wish him continued success as he pursues his NBA dreams.”
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