The impact of Summer League 2019 on AKATSUKI JAPAN

The Japanese men’s national basketball team roster for the Paris Olympics has been finalized. Out of the 12 players who made it through the tryouts, 10 have experience playing abroad. Additionally, Yuki Kawamura is set to participate in the Memphis Grizzlies’ training camp this fall to bring the total number of players with professional experience abroad to 11.

This evolution of the Japanese team began in the summer of 2019.

In July 2019, four Japanese players participated in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. They were Rui Hachimura, who was drafted 9th overall by the Washington Wizards; Yuta Watanabe, who had a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies since 2018; Makoto Hiejima, who had challenged himself in Australia’s NBL the previous year and joined the New Orleans Pelicans; and Yudai Baba, who, after winning the championship and MVP in Japan’s B.LEAGUE with Alvark Tokyo, took his first step towards challenging in the USA. All four players were members of the Japanese national team at the FIBA Basketball World Cup held in September of that year.

During the Summer League, these four players found time in their busy schedules to dine together. Their conversations weren’t limited to the NBA Summer League; they also passionately discussed how to play for the upcoming World Cup.

In the summer of 2019, Japan had just barely qualified for the World Cup, emerging from a tough period. The memory of struggling to compete on the world stage was still fresh. The quartet were determined to strengthen and transform the Japanese team. They realized that improving individually was also crucial. Their decision to go abroad and face the challenges of playing overseas was driven by this determination.

Yuta Watanabe reflected on that time: “When we had dinner together, we got very excited talking about the national team. We discussed various lineups and the patterns of playing with different lineups. Of course, the final decisions are up to the coaches, but we shared our ideas and talked about the teams we would face including preparation games towards the World Cup, believing we could win against them.

“Everyone was filled with confidence and enthusiasm for the national team.”

A few years prior, there was a time when players had to choose between representing Japan or pursuing opportunities abroad. Few players took pride in playing for the national team.

However, at this time, four key players participated in the NBA Summer League at the same time and all were committed to representing Japan. They wanted to prove their capabilities against global competition, and the Japan Basketball Association (JBA) supported their challenges. In this aspect, this summer marked a turning point for Japanese basketball. Although Japan did not secure a win at the World Cup in China that September, there were signs that the tide was starting to turn.

Five years later, these four players are now the leaders of the Japan national team heading into the Men’s Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024.

After the final preparation match before the Paris Olympics in Japan, Yudai Baba reflected on the significance of his 2019 Summer League experience.

For Baba, it was the starting point of his overseas challenge. After the summer league, he participated in the Dallas Mavericks’ training camp and played for the Texas Legends in the G League and Melbourne United in the Australian NBL. Last season, he spent a year with the Nagasaki Velca in Japan’s B.LEAGUE but hasn’t given up on his NBA dreams.

“Even now, I have that feeling somewhere inside me, but back then, I had confidence that I would definitely succeed. Participating in that competition gave me a sense of achievement and strengthened my desire to play abroad. So I found what I could deliver at that level but at the same time, I thought I could do more if I got more chances. It was a tournament that clarified my vague aspirations to play overseas.”

Baba also believes there is a reason why these four players remain central to the national team today.

“I feel players who challenge themselves without setting limits have become key players for their country. Rui and Yuta have achieved significant achievements, and we continue to strive for improvement. Such a mindset can be contagious to others. I believe players who have this mindset become the core of the national team.”

The desire to test their limits might be a common aspiration among athletes. By taking action to achieve this, both as individuals and as part of the national team, these players have inspired others. Their ambitions have spread to many other players, supporting the foundation of a gradually strengthening Japanese national team.

FIBA