MANILA – Kai Sotto and Filipino-American guard Kihei Clark will still have a chance to fulfill their NBA dreams after being invited to play in the 2023 NBA Summer League slated from July 7 to 17 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 7-foot-3 Sotto was got an invite to join the Orlando Magic’s Summer League team, the Filipino center’s agent Tony Ronzone said in an interview with Homer Sayson of the Spin.ph.
Ronzone added that several teams have shown interest on having Sotto in the NBA Summer League but they chose to join the Magic as he will be more fit there.
Clark, on the other hand, was signed by the Utah Jazz for their NBA Summer League roster after going undrafted during the 2023 NBA Rookie Draft on Thursday night (Friday in the Philippines) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
The 5-foot-10 point guard, who traced his roots from Ilocos, held the distinction of being the second Filipino-American player to win a US NCAA championship since UCLA Bruins’ Raymond Townsend in 1975.
Clark and the University of Virginia Cavaliers captured the US NCAA Division 1 crown in 2019 when they scored an 85-77 overtime victory against Texas Tech Red Raiders in the finals.
Clark’s collegiate career, however, ended in a sour note early this year as he committed a costly turnover that caused no. 4 seed Cavaliers’ 68-67 loss to no. 13 Furman Paladins.
Meanwhile, veteran Chris Paul is on the move anew after being shipped by Washington Wizards to Golden State Warriors for Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr., Ryan Rollins and two future draft picks.
This was the 38-year-old Paul’s second time to be traded this week after he was shipped by Phoenix Suns to the Wizards for Bradley Beal, Isaiah Todd and Jordan Goodwin last Sunday.
Paul averaged 13.9 points, 8.9 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game for the Suns last season before being sidelined in their NBA playoffs series with eventual champion Denver Nuggets due to an injury.
Poole, meanwhile, normed 20.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists last season but was a disappointment offensively for the Warriors in their playoffs series with the Los Angeles Lakers./PN
