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Before Kai Sotto and the NBA G League Ignite team officially kick off the 2020-21 season, the four-star prospect will have at least one new fan: 2014 NBA MVP Kevin Durant.
Durant, according to Ajayi Browne of Nets Daily, sent a pair of Master & Dynamic headphones, which he is a part-owner of, to Sotto last month. Durant also recently followed him on Instagram, which Sotto was apparently shocked to learn.
Sotto, a 7-foot-2 center from the Philippines, became the first international player to sign a contract with the NBA G League in May. He spent the last year at The Skill Factory in Georgia training after playing in various international tournaments, including the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup.
Does Durant want Kai Sotto in Brooklyn? He bought him headphones earlier this month and this morning the 2X Champ followed the Filipino star on instagram. Sources told me Sotto didn’t even know until someone told him and just like all of us, he was surprised. pic.twitter.com/qaaG92thWk
— Ajayi Browne (@ajayibrowne) October 8, 2020
The NBA G League announced last month that the team once informally dubbed as the Select Team would be known as Ignite moving forward. The team features several of the top high school prospects, including Jalen Green, Isaiah Todd, Jonathan Kuminga and others.
Ignite, which is unaffiliated with any existing NBA G League franchise or NBA team, will participate in exhibition games against other NBA G League teams and international clubs and will play 10-12 games that won’t count against the standings.
Though the official start date for next season is unknown, the NBA G League is discussing the possibility of hosting a tournament in a bubble environment. The tournament would take place in November or December and include other teams, potentially with undrafted players and free agents.
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