The San Antonio Spurs will get to enjoy generous picks during this year’s NBA Draft: possibly the 9th overall pick, a couple of late 20s picks, plus an early second round pick. Should the Spurs decide to keep all their picks, this means plenty of options for the team.

One hopeful has made it very clear early on that he wants to don a black and silver jersey.

Kai Sotto, when asked during a chat with Nets Daily in 2020 which team he would like to play for should he make it to the NBA, said that he would like to join San Antonio. During the time of the interview, the Spurs were not even in the playoffs.

“I want to say the Spurs, but the Spurs are not in the playoffs anymore,” Sotto said.

The 20-year-old Sotto, a 7’3 center from the Philippines, was among the G League’s Ignite squad last season, but he suddenly left to fulfill prior international obligations with his country’s national team in the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers. 

The Spurs own the 38th pick and Sotto is projected to be in the second round of the draft. 

A lot of mock drafts have highlighted Sotto’s good shot-blocking, as well as his agility, strength, and rebounding, said to be that of an NBA big man. But they also took note of his passiveness when it comes to offense and his lack of physical strength,

There are also reports that one NBA team promised to Sotto that they will draft him.

Sotto’s agent said: “And we actually already have commitments from at least one team that said if he stays in the draft, we’ll draft him. We have that already.”

The Spurs has the reputation of taking in and developing foreign players. It will be interesting to see if they will go down this path again and pick Sotto.

And if that happens, it will also fulfill Sotto’s dream to work with Tim Duncan, his long-time idol.

“I really look up to Tim Duncan. I always see him as this player that doesn’t need to trash talk his opponents, doesn’t complain – that’s just me. Seeing him always locked in, and he’s a winner. That’s what I want to be,” Sotto said.