For weeks, fans have been waiting for Filipino basketball player Kai Sotto to get minutes in an NBA Summer League game. The Orlando Magic finally gave Sotto time on the court during Thursday’s game against the Portland Trailblazers.
According to Sports Illustrated, Sotto has a huge following of Filipino fans who hope that he will be the first player from the Philippines to make it big in the NBA. Unfortunately, after four games, Sotto had played zero minutes.
Fans grew frustrated and accused the Orlando Magic and the league of using Sotto for clout. Videos of crowds chanting “We want Sotto” went viral on Twitter.
On Thursday night, Sotto got his chance, playing a total of 13 minutes. According to The Orlando Magic Daily, the 7-2 big man had six points, four rebounds and three blocks during those minutes. The Magic ultimately lost 88-71.
“It just feels good to finally be out there,” Sotto said after Thursday’s game, according to The Orlando Magic DAily. “It’s my first time here in the Summer League and first time on the court. It’s just a lot of excitement. I just wanted to impact the game. Sadly we didn’t win. But there is a lot to learn from this game.”
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