Global betting company 1xBet has unveiled a partnership with rising basketball star Kai Sotto, appointing him as the brand’s ambassador for Asia.
The young Filipino will represent the 1xBet brand in his homeland, as well as in Japan, China, Indonesia, Thailand, and other Asian region countries. The agreement will help 1xBet increase brand awareness in the region, and offer Kai Sotto an opportunity to expand the popularity of basketball in Asia, the company said in a statement.
Kai Zaccari Perlado Sotto was born on May 11, 2002 in Las Pinas, Philippines. He is the son of professional basketball player Ervin Sotto. Influenced by his father, he began playing basketball at age 4, and by the age of 14, his height exceeded 2 meters. Today, he is one of the tallest professional basketball players in the world at 2 meters 21 cm.
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, Sotto went to the United States, where he played for TSF, an Atlanta-based Prep School. He later joined the NBA G League’s start-up Ignite Team. In 2021, he decided to continue his professional development with the Adelaide 36ers in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL).
After two NBL seasons, Sotto moved to Japan, where he 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, Sotto was invited to play in the 2023 NBA Summer League for the Orlando Magic team. That same year, he defended the national team’s colors at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023. Sotto continues to develop his strength and skills in preparation for reaching his dream of joining the NBA.
The young athlete wants to develop basketball in the Philippines and has long been looking for opportunities to promote his favorite sport in Asia, according to a press release.
“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,” he said.
The global bookmaker said it will provide the 21-year-old basketball player with full support during this endeavor.
“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,” a 1xBet representative said.
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.