MANILA – Following his brief showing at the 2023 NBA Summer League, Kai Sotto is hungrier than ever, according to his agent Tony Ronzone.

“He is more hungry than he was [before],” Ronzone told CNN Philippines, Monday evening.

• 'I'll be back': Kai Sotto savors historic Summer League stint

This is how Ronzone described Sotto even after the 7-foot-3 Filipino got benched in three of the five games that the Orlando Magic played in the Summer League. He also bared that he is proud of how Sotto remained patient and locked in during those moments.

“That was my biggest challenge, how he would react to not playing in the first few games. You got great players that make the NBA that don’t get minutes at all. It’s just part of the process. But Kai is more hungrier than ever to pursue his dream, he said.

Ronzone then lauded how Sotto performed when he finally set foot in an NBA hardwood.

“He made a presence on the floor, played in a big arena in Thomas and Mack Center, with a lot of fans,” he said. “He showed that he can make a presence, especially shot-blocking.”

The former Dallas Mavericks official also revealed what the Magic thought of the Hiroshima Dragonflies center after the Summer League.

“Incredible person, a great team guy, was a pro, came on time, worked on his skills,” he bared.

“There were 300 general managers present from all over the world, and Kai did very, very well. For him to keep his composure, the Filipinos should be proud of his attitude. The way he cheered for his teammates on the bench, he patiently waited his turn,” he added.

Ronzone stressed that Sotto's stint in Las Vegas was a valuable experience, but also called on Filipinos to remain patient with Sotto as he continues to work for his NBA dream.

“This is just the start of his great, great journey to make Filipinos proud. The Filipinos, I know they were disappointed early, but Kai handled himself in a very mature way and you should all be proud of. When the time came, he performed at a high level,” he said.

“People don’t understand, he just turned 21 last month. He is playing against NBA players [in] rosters, these players are 23. Kai is very young and this is his first big opportunity to play on a big stage where he is around pros, learning the pro’s system. This is all a learning experience for Kai and he got many more opportunities,” he added.

“He is a hungry young man. He’s not gonna quit. The Filipinos just got to be patient.”

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