‘He’s getting better and better each day’: Bruton on Sotto

Adelaide 36ers coach CJ Bruton has said there’s improvement coming from the towering Kai Sotto.

Sotto has played 14 minutes in NBL23 and has amassed four points, 10 rebounds and three blocks.

Speaking to News Corp’s ‘The Basketball Show’, Bruton said improvement has been noticeable.

"I love Kai, he's a special kid," he said.

"His skillset helps us, and while you haven't seen it a whole lot, I'm also playing to win games.

"I need to be successful; I want this city to be successful, I want Kai to keep improving.

"I'm not here to hurt the kid, I care for this kid and getting better and getting to his goal, which is ultimately playing in the NBA.

"Yes, you do need to take the floor a little bit more, I need him to keep impacting the 36ers the right way that I need for us to be successful.

"For him to keep growing, I have more coaching staff with me this year to impact his development and growth, and when he does touch the floor, bit by bit he keeps improving.

"Hopefully he plays a little more minutes than he played last year.”

Bruton added he expects Sotto to be impactful in the next month, as the 36ers play three double header weekends and a trifecta of away games against Melbourne United, New Zealand and Perth.

"Everyone thought he was going to come back and be a starter, I didn't see the guy for six months of the off-season until he came back a few weeks beforehand," he said.

"The improvement of my team to the improvement of Kai wasn't on the same par, but I didn't go air that to all of everybody, but he is developing in the right way.

"I think he's really going to help us over the next month or so.

"It's unfortunate the way the games went, part of it is my trust in where we're at as a team and what we need to go and win the game, to not just putting him out there for Kai Sotto to tick over boxes.

"He's doing everything, I mentioned in video (on Monday), just his impact, and while it was a very short impact, they were winning plays for us.

"If you go back and watch Kai Sotto's minutes, you'll understand by taking away two baskets, he got knocked to the floor, he got elbowed in the jaw.

"He took two to the chin, it's about getting back up, making another hit, second efforts for Kai Sotto, multiple efforts on the offensive or defensive end.

"He's getting better each and every day.”