Kai Sotto was delighted by the support he got from the fans when he finally played for the Orlando Magic against the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA Summer League on Friday morning, Manila time.

"It feels good obviously to anybody to have a lot of guys cheering for you, it’s a blessing. It’s just for me to do my part, to show my 100 percent effort every game. Hopefully I made them happy and proud," Sotto, who scored six points in 13 minutes of play, said in a video posted on the Orlando Magic's social media account.

The Magic lost 88-71, but it gave the 7-foot-3 Pinoy a taste of the competition in the NBA.

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"The game is more fast-paced. There’s a lot of young players trying to prove they can play in an NBA environment… It’s competitive, it’s nice to finally go out there and play," he said.

Against Portland, Sotto focused on the defensive end, swatting three attempts from the Blazers, including one on sophomore guard Shaedon Sharpe.

Sotto did not dwell much on his scoring, saying his offense will come.

“I didn’t play a lot, but I focused on asserting myself as a defensive presence, especially in the paint," he said.

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"Being one of the tallest players out there, or maybe the tallest, I need to help my team protect the paint when I’m on the court.”

Sotto will have one last opportunity to play for the Magic in the Summer League as they battle the Boston Celtics on Saturday night (Sunday, Manila time).

“I am very happy to be here. It’s a blessing to experience all of this and I am grateful for the support of so many people. That’s one of the things I think about every day. I always have something to look forward to and push myself for, and hopefully, I can make them proud,” he said.