Global betting company 1xBet is pleased to announce the start of a partnership with talented basketball player Kai Sotto. Now, the young Filipino will represent the 1xBet brand in his homeland, as well as in Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and other Asian region countries.
Casino Life News | The agreement will help 1xBet increase brand awareness in the region, and Kai Sotto will have the opportunity to expand the popularity of basketball in Asia and help thousands of young athletes take their first steps towards their dreams.
Heir to Tim Duncan
Kai Zaccari Perlado Sotto was born on May 11, 2002 in Las Pinas, Philippines, the son of professional basketball player Ervin Sotto. Thanks to his father, the boy began playing basketball at age 4, and by the age of 14, his height exceeded 2 meters. Kai did not stop at this mark, and today is one of the tallest professional basketball players in the world with an indicator of 2 meters 21 cm. His tall height and confident manner of playing under the hoop made him an ideal center. As a child, Sotto's idols were Tim Duncan, June Mar Fajardo, and Kristaps Porzingis, whose style of play he tried to imitate.
From college success to national team
From 2016 to 2019, Kai Sotto played for the Ateneo Blue Eaglets, where he won individual Rookie of the Year, Season and Finals MVP awards, led his team to the championship, and finished with averages of 25.1 points, 13.9 rebounds, and 2.6 blocked shots per game. He also won with the country's youth team at the 2017 SEABA Under-16 Championship.
In 2019, Kai went to the United States, where he played for TSF, an elite Atlanta-based Prep School. He secured numerous offers from various Div 1colleges but opted to join the NBA G League’s start-up Ignite Team. COVID-19 severely impacted playing time for all athletes and Kai decided to continue his professional development in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) and joined the Adelaide 36ers in 2021. He played for Adelaide for 2 seasons.
After two NBL seasons, Kai Sotto moved to Japan, where he successfully played for the Hiroshima Dragonflies and is currently on loan to the Yokohama B-Corsairs of the Japanese B.League. In the spring of 2023, Kai was invited to play in the 2023 NBA Summer League for the Orlando Magic team. That same year, Kai defended the national team's colors at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Kai continues to develop his strength and skills in preparation for reaching his dream – to join the NBA.
Popularization of basketball in Asia
The young athlete wants to develop basketball in the Philippines and has long been looking for opportunities to promote his favorite sport in Asia:
“I have been watching the progress of 1xBet for many years and know how much attention the company pays to supporting youth and regional sports. That is why I gladly accepted the offer of cooperation, and now, as an ambassador, I will be able to extend my platform to help Philippine basketball at home and abroad,” said Kai Sotto.
The global bookmaker is ready to provide the 21-year-old basketball player with full support: “We are pleased to become a partner of one of the most promising players in Asia at the very beginning of his great path. Already today, he is an example for thousands of boys who dream of a basketball career, and this is extremely important for the 1xBet company, which is looking for talents worldwide,” said a 1xBet representative.
The agreement with the new ambassador is part of the brand's global strategy to support sports in Southeast Asia and will help increase brand awareness in the region.
About 1xBet
1xBet is a world-famous bookmaker with 17 years of experience in the betting industry. 1xBet customers can bet on thousands of sporting events daily, and the company's website and app are available in 70 languages. The list of official 1xBet partners includes FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, LOSC Lille, La Liga, Serie A, and other famous sports brands and organizations. The company has repeatedly become a nominee and winner of the prestigious professional awards IGA, SBC, G2E Asia, and EGR Nordics Awards.
