Kai Sotto cries foul after SBP disallows Will Navarro from joining KBL: 'This has to stop'

Will Navarro has been reportedly barred from joining the KBL, and it did not sit well with Kai Sotto. Dennis Acosta (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASAY--Kai Sotto did not like a reported decision from the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas not to allow Will Navarro from joining the Seoul Samsung Thunders for the upcoming KBL season.

The current Adelaide 36er took to social media his protest about the decision first reported by Tiebreaker Times' Matthew Li on Saturday night, believing that the SBP should not deprive players of chasing their dreams elsewhere.

"I'm sorry but this is crazy. This has to stop. You got players who've been working hard and dreaming to play basketball at the highest level they can reach and we got our own people stopping us from achieving greatness," Sotto said.

He also said that the SBP should instead help in uplifting Navarro's career path rather than control it significantly.

"At the end of the day, one's success is 'everyone's'. So we have to help each other go up! Not down." Sotto further said.

According to the report, Navarro was not granted a letter of clearance from the SBP, and FIBA denied an appeal from the said league, saying that he must finish his contract first with Gilas Pilipinas, which will run until March 2023.

Navarro was drafted second in the 2021 PBA Draft by NorthPort through the special Gilas round. Thus, the team has the initial rights to the player should he get released from his Gilas contract.

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