is a Japanese professional
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player for the
Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
of the
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA). He played
college basketball
In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
in the United States for the
George Washington Colonials, becoming the first Japanese-born
student athlete
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution.
In the United Kingdom and most commonwealth countries, a "student" attends a secondary school or higher (e.g., college or university); those in primary or elementar ...
to secure an
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
basketball
scholarship
A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need.
Scholarsh ...
. He was named
Atlantic 10
The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...
Defensive Player of the Year in 2018. He has also represented the
Japan national team, helping them win the bronze medal at the
2013 East Asia Basketball Championship.
Before moving to the collegiate level, Watanabe attended Jinsei Gakuen High School in
Zentsūji, Kagawa
270px, Zentsūji City Hall
270px, Aerial photograph of central Zentsūji
is a city located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 30,780 in 13096 households and a population density of 770 persons per km². T ...
. He later transferred to St. Thomas More Preparatory School in
Oakdale, Connecticut in 2013. Watanabe rose to fame in his high school program, and was one of their most valuable players in the National Prep School Invitational as a senior in 2014. In college, he became the fourth Japanese-born Division I basketball player of all-time.
High school career
Watanabe attended in Kagawa. He led the basketball team to the runner-up spot of the All-Japan High School Basketball Tournament in his final two years with the program. While in Jinsei Gakuen, Watanabe said his career goal was to make it to the NCAA and ultimately join the
NBA
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...
.
In late 2013, Watanabe traveled to the United States and attended
St. Thomas More Preparatory School in
Oakdale, Connecticut. At the conclusion of his sole high school season outside his native country, Watanabe averaged 13 points and six rebounds. He helped the team reach a 26-8 overall record and a ticket to the National Prep Championship game. On January 31, 2014, in his first appearance in the annual National Prep School Invitational, Watanabe scored 12 points versus
Suffield Academy
Suffield Academy is a private preparatory school located in Suffield, Connecticut. It was founded in 1833 to train young men for ministry in the Baptist Church. The tuition fees for students are currently $65,000 for boarders and $38,700 for day s ...
. He contributed 20 points and six rebounds in a 70–61 victory against Canarias Basketball Academy from Spain. As a result, he was named to the National Prep School Invitational All-Tournament Team and garnered prestigious
New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class AAA First Team All-League honors.
Watanabe was also labeled "the Chosen One" by ''
The Japan Times
''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo.
History
''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...
''.
Watanabe was rated a 77 (three-star recruit) by
ESPN
ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
Recruiting Nation. He was also given a three-star rating by
Scout.com
Scout Media is an integrated sports publishing company that produces Internet content covering hundreds of professional and college teams across America. The company was founded in 2001 and was acquired by Fox Sports in 2005. In 2013, Fox Sports ...
and the same composite grade.
College career
In fall of 2014,
George Washington Colonials men's basketball head coach
Mike Lonergan
Michael Thomas Lonergan (born January 28, 1966) is the former head coach of the George Washington University Colonials men's basketball team. He replaced Karl Hobbs. He was formerly the coach of the University of Vermont Catamounts and the Cath ...
received a phone call from Jamie Cosgrove, a coach at
Trinity College Trinity College may refer to:
Australia
* Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales
* Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...
who saw Watanabe play with St. Thomas More.
Watanabe eventually committed to play for George Washington. This move allowed him to attend
George Washington University
, mottoeng = "God is Our Trust"
, established =
, type = Private federally chartered research university
, academic_affiliations =
, endowment = $2.8 billion (2022)
, preside ...
for the 2014 year as a freshman. It was made official when Watanabe posted the message through
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, "I've decided to go to George Washington University. The school has a good basketball team, too. I'm sure I'll have hard times both in basketball and academics, but I'll give it my best shot."
According to ESPN, his second option was
Fordham, who gave Watanabe an offer to join their team as well.
[ He became the first-ever Japanese-born man to be given an ]NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest level of College athletics, intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major ...
basketball scholarship
A scholarship is a form of financial aid awarded to students for further education. Generally, scholarships are awarded based on a set of criteria such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need.
Scholarsh ...
, and was only the fourth to ever play college basketball at that level. Regarding Watanabe's collegiate career, former Japanese college basketball player, KJ Matsui, said, "It's good for Nabe-chan (Watanabe) to play at a competitive team, but he's going to have to battle for playing time." The Colonials had four other recruits coming into the program for 2014–15: Anthony Swan, Darian Bryant, Matt Cimino, and Paul Jorgensen.
Upon joining George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
in 2014, feature profiles on Watanabe were published by several popular newspapers, such as ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' and ''The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
''. The fact that he was an Asian player assuming an important role greatly increased his popularity. Half-Chinese player, Zach Chu, who played for George Washington's Atlantic 10 rival Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
, said, "To see someone of Asian descent, and play as well as he does, it's cool for college basketball, really cool for the Asian community."[ The George Washington athletics website received the second-most views from Japan in terms of pageviews by country, behind only the United States. On many occasions, he was congratulated on the school's campus itself.] Watanabe spoke about his fame and legacy, "Japanese are thinking Americans are bigger and taller and more athletic. They are thinking it's more difficult for Japanese to play in NCAA, but I'm playing right now, so I want to make other people come to the United States." Although Asian players such as Matsui, Jeremy Lin
Jeremy Shu-How Lin (born August 23, 1988) is a Taiwanese-American professional basketball player who last played for the Guangzhou Loong Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He unexpectedly led a winning turnaround with the Ne ...
, and Yuki Togashi
is a Japanese professional basketball player who currently plays for the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League in Japan.
Early life
Born in Shibata, Niigata, Togashi moved to the United States in 2009 where he attended Montrose Christian School ...
had been the subject of racist comments in the past, Watanabe has yet to receive racial remarks in his first few years in the United States. Nevertheless, he stated, "If they said something racist, I don't care."
Freshman
On November 14, 2014, Watanabe made his debut for George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
, against Grambling State
Grambling State University (GSU, Grambling, or Grambling State) is a public historically black university in Grambling, Louisiana. Grambling State is home of the Eddie G. Robinson Museum and is listed on the Louisiana African American Heritage ...
, finishing with eight points, seven rebounds and a block in 20 minutes, contributing to the team's largest win since 1999 with 92–40. On December 12, Watanabe was named Atlantic 10
The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...
Rookie of the Week after averaging 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in three games as he helped the team win the 2014 Diamond Head Classic
The Diamond Head Classic is a three-day invitational college basketball tournament held at the Stan Sheriff Center in Honolulu, Hawaii on the campus of the University of Hawaii-Manoa. Each team plays three games, winners facing winners and losers ...
crown. Watanabe hit a key three-pointer with 3 minutes and 32 seconds remaining to upset Wichita State
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
with a 60–54 win on December 25. On March 7, he set a career-high 21 points, knocking down seven 3-pointers, against . On March 9, Watanabe earned his second Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honor, becoming the first player to earn multiple Rookie of the Week awards in the same season since Lasan Kromah
Lasannah V. "Lasan" Kromah (born June 24, 1991) is an American professional basketball player for Fuenlabrada of the Liga ACB. He played college basketball for George Washington University and Connecticut.
High school career
Kromah attended Ele ...
earned three in 2009–10. He led the Colonials to a 2–0 final week of the Atlantic 10 regular season with a team-best 13.5 points on 53 percent shooting, including 64 percent behind the arc, along with 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
As a freshman, Watanabe was a key bench player and an instrumental element on the Colonials' rotation. He was often awarded playing time in late-game situations. Head coach Mike Lonergan
Michael Thomas Lonergan (born January 28, 1966) is the former head coach of the George Washington University Colonials men's basketball team. He replaced Karl Hobbs. He was formerly the coach of the University of Vermont Catamounts and the Cath ...
said, "With Yuta, we have scoring off the bench. If I start Yuta, we have no scoring off the bench at all."
Sophomore
On March 5, 2016, Watanabe posted career-highs in scoring and assists with 22 points and six assists in George Washington's 87–80 loss to Davidson
Davidson may refer to:
* Davidson (name)
* Clan Davidson, a Highland Scottish clan
* Davidson Media Group
* Davidson Seamount, undersea mountain southwest of Monterey, California, USA
* Tyler Davidson Fountain, monument in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
* ...
. On March 31, Watanabe logged a team-high 19 points and a career-high four blocks as George Washington won the 2016 National Invitation Tournament
The 2016 National Invitation Tournament was a single-elimination tournament of 32 NCAA Division I teams that were not selected to participate in the 2016 NCAA tournament. The annual tournament was played on campus sites for the first three round ...
with a 76–60 win over Valparaiso. It was the first time in program history the team won a postseason championship.
Overall, Watanabe was the leading shot blocker for the Colonials with 40 blocks, ranking second in the Atlantic 10
The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...
. His 8.4 points per game average was the fifth-best on the team.
Junior
On November 15, 2016, Watanabe logged his first double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds in a 77–75 victory against Siena
Siena ( , ; lat, Sena Iulia) is a city in Tuscany, Italy. It is the capital of the province of Siena.
The city is historically linked to commercial and banking activities, having been a major banking center until the 13th and 14th centuri ...
. On January 8, 2017, he had a career-high three steals in a game against Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
. Watanabe scored a season-high 21 points in an 80–71 loss against Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
on March 20.
As a junior, Watanabe was the second-leading scorer at George Washington with 12.2 points per game. He was also named to the Atlantic 10
The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...
All-Defensive Team.
Senior
On November 20, 2017, Watanabe grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds versus Rider. On November 29, he logged a career-high five steals against Morgan State Morgan may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Morgan (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Morgan le Fay, a powerful witch in Arthurian legend
* Morgan (surname), a surname of Welsh origin
* Morgan (singer ...
. In his final game for the Colonials on February 28, 2018, Watanabe scored a career-high 31 points in a 72–56 win over Fordham .
As a senior, Watanabe was George Washington's leading scorer with 16.3 points per game and the second-leading rebounder with 6.1 rebounds per game while also leading the team in blocks with 54. He was named the Atlantic 10
The Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10) is a collegiate athletic conference whose schools compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I. The A-10's member schools are located in states mostly on the United States Eastern ...
Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Colonial to win the award. Watanabe also earned the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third Team and Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team honors. He also received George Washington's Patricio Garino
Patricio Nicolas Garino Gullotta "Pato" (born May 17, 1993) is an Argentine professional basketball player who last played for Bàsquet Girona of the Liga ACB. He played college basketball for George Washington University. He also represents th ...
Defensive Award and Mike Brown MVP Award, both awards named after the former basketball alumni.
At the conclusion of Watanabe's career at George Washington, he ranked near the top of a number of key categories in the school's history, including second in blocked shots (with 147), second in games played (with 134) and fifteenth in scoring (with 1,460).
Professional career
Memphis Grizzlies (2018–2020)
After going undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft
The 2018 NBA Draft was held on June 21, 2018, at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including inte ...
, Watanabe played for the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
in the 2018 NBA Summer League
The 2018 NBA Summer League consisted of three pro basketball leagues organized by the National Basketball Association (NBA): the Sacramento Kings's California Classic Summer League, Utah Jazz Summer League, and Las Vegas Summer League.
The Sacra ...
. Afterwards, he signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and their NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. On October 27, 2018, Watanabe made his NBA debut, coming off the bench with two points and two rebounds in a 117–96 win over the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
. He became the second Japanese player to play in the NBA after Yuta Tabuse, who debuted with the Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are an American professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Suns are the only team in t ...
in 2004. Though he spent the majority of the season in the G League with the Hustle, the Grizzlies were third behind the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
and Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...
in merchandise sold in Japan due to Watanabe's presence. In the G League, Watanabe started in 32 of 33 games, averaging 14.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.1 blocks in 33.9 minutes while shooting 43.6 percent from the field and 33.1 percent from 3-point range.
Watanabe shared his time playing back and forth for the Grizzlies and the Hustle for the season. On December 14, 2019, Watanabe and Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Eastern Conference Southeast D ...
became the first pair of Japanese players to share the court in the NBA. On January 4, 2020, Watanabe had a team-high 28 points on 12-of-19 field goal shooting and 2-of-4 from three, to go with seven rebounds, four blocks, two assists and two steals in the Hustle's 130–127 win over the Iowa Wolves
The Iowa Wolves are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Des Moines, Iowa, and are affiliated with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Wolves play their home games at the Wells Fargo Arena and compete in the Western ...
. He scored a career-high 40 points on 14-of-20 shooting from the field and 8-of-11 from three on January 22, in a win versus the Delaware Blue Coats
The Delaware Blue Coats are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Wilmington, Delaware, and are affiliated with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Blue Coats play their home games at Chase Fieldhouse. The team was founde ...
. Watanabe was named Midseason All-NBA G League for the Western Conference. In the G League, Watanabe started in all 22 games, averaging 17.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block in 32.7 minutes while shooting 54.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from 3-point range.
Toronto Raptors (2020–2022)
On November 27, 2020, Watanabe signed an Exhibit 10
The NBA salary cap is the limit to the total amount of money that National Basketball Association teams are allowed to pay their players. Like many professional sports leagues, the NBA has a salary cap to control costs and benefit parity, defined b ...
deal with the Toronto Raptors to join their pre-season roster. On December 19, his deal was converted to a two-way contract, after he made the team out of pre-season. On December 31, Watanabe debuted for the Toronto Raptors, recording four rebounds, one assist, a block and a steal across nine minutes in a 100–83 win over New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
, notching their first victory of the season. On January 29, 2021, Watanabe scored a then career-high 12 points coming off the bench, along with six rebounds, two assists and two steals in a season-high 24 minutes of action in a 126–124 loss to the Sacramento Kings. In the fourth quarter, Watanabe logged seven points including a layup that cut the lead to one point. On February 9, Watanabe sustained a left ankle injury during a workout. After missing four games, he returned to action on February 18, logging two rebounds and a block across six minutes of play in a 110–96 win over the Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks are an American professional basketball team based in Milwaukee. The Bucks compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded in 1968 ...
. On March 4, Watanabe made his first career start against the Detroit Pistons, going scoreless but grabbing four rebounds in 11 minutes of action.
On April 10, 2021, Watanabe scored a then career-high 14 points coming off the bench on 6-of-7 field goal shooting and 2-of-2 from three, including a buzzer beater
In basketball and other such timed sports, a buzzer beater is a shot that is taken before the game clock of a quarter, a half (if the half is the second one, then, a game), or an overtime period expires but does not go in the basket until after t ...
3-pointer that gave the Raptors a season-high lead in a quarter with 47–26 in the first, to go along with five rebounds, an assist and a steal across 23 minutes of action in a 135–115 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
. On April 16, Watanabe surpassed his career-high in scoring for the second time in a week with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 from three, along with six rebounds, two assists and one block across 26 minutes in a 113–102 win over the Orlando Magic
The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
. On April 18, Watanabe logged his third consecutive double-digit scoring game with 10 points, shooting 3-for-6 from the field and 1-for-2 from three, in addition to four rebounds and four assists in 29 minutes off the bench in a 112–106 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The double-digit scoring streak was the longest in his three-year NBA career. On April 19, the Raptors announced they had converted Watanabe's two-way deal to a standard contract. Despite being a two-way player, Watanabe never played in the G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA Dev ...
with the Raptors 905
The Raptors 905 are a Canadian professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Mississauga, Ontario, and are affiliated with the Toronto Raptors. Raptors 905 began play in the 2015–16 season and play their home games at Paramount Fi ...
.
Due to a left calf sprain, Watanabe missed the first 18 games of the 2021–22 season. He returned on November 24, 2021, posting three points and two blocks in 14 minutes of play against the Memphis Grizzlies. On December 14, Watanabe logged his first career double-double with 12 points coming off the bench on 5-of-8 field goal shooting and 2-of-4 from three and a then career-high 11 rebounds, to go along with two assists and a steal across 26 minutes of action in a 124–101 win over the Sacramento Kings. On December 26, Watanabe posted his second double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds, both career-highs, in a 144–99 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...
.
Brooklyn Nets (2022–present)
On August 28, 2022, Watanabe signed with the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. The Nets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. The t ...
in free agency. In November 2022, Watanabe led the NBA in three point shooting percentage in the 2023 season.
National team career
Japan men's national basketball team
The Japan national basketball team is administered by the Japan Basketball Association (JBA), (Japanese: 日本バスケットボール協会, ''Nihon Basukettobōru Kyōkai''). At the 1936 founding member of FIBA Asia, Japan has one of Asia ...
then head coach Kimikazu Suzuki oversaw Watanabe's play in camps, saying at the time, "He's not good enough to be on this team yet, but eventually he's going to be apan'sace player. We all know his capabilities and we intend to help him develop." Later, while attending Jinsei Gakuen High School, Watanabe was called up by Suzuki to compete with the national team in 2013. At the age of 18, he made his senior debut for Japan at the 2013 East Asia Basketball Championship
The EABA Championship is an international basketball tournament which takes place every two years between national men's teams from East Asia. The tournament is also known as the East Asian Basketball Championship.
The tournament is organised by ...
, where he helped the team win the bronze medal. Watanabe's tournament highlights included a 22-point and 14-rebound outing in a 101–53 win over Macau
Macau or Macao (; ; ; ), officially the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (MSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China in the western Pearl River Delta by the South China Sea. With a pop ...
. At the 2013 FIBA Asia Championship
The 2013 FIBA Asia Championship for Men was the intercontinental championship for basketball organized by FIBA Asia that served as the qualifying tournament for the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain. The tournament was held from August 1–1 ...
, he averaged 5.2 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in four games played, helping the team finish in ninth place. Watanabe was named to the 12-man roster for the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, where he averaged 7.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists. At the 2019 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers, Watanabe, who only played in two of 12 games, tallied an average of 17.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game. Later that year, he was selected to compete at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup
The 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup was the 18th tournament of the FIBA Basketball World Cup for men's national basketball teams. The tournament was hosted in China and was rescheduled from 2018 to 2019, becoming the first since 1967 FIBA World Ch ...
. Watanabe played in all five games, averaging 15.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game. He led the Japanese squad in points and efficiency per game.
Player profile
A spark-off-the-bench player, Watanabe is known for his defensive ability. As described by sports website theScore, Watanabe "has great hands on the defensive end." In 2019, SB Nation
''SB Nation'' (an abbreviation for their full name ''SportsBlogs Nation'') is a sports blogging network owned by Vox Media. It was co-founded by Tyler Bleszinski, Markos Moulitsas, and Jerome Armstrong in 2005. The blog from which the network ...
sportswriter Brandon Abraham lauded his defense, saying, "The Grizzlies and Hustle were simply better with Yuta on the court." Memphis Grizzlies TV play-by-play announcer
In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...
Pete Pranica described his "defensive instinct" as "impressive." Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse
Nicholas David Nurse (born July 24, 1967) is an American professional basketball coach, author and former college basketball player. He is the head coach of the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Canadian men's ...
commented on his defense as well, saying that it "rub off on others." Watanabe earned praises for his basketball IQ, with theScore commenting, "He always seems to be in the right spot on both ends of the court." Pranica stated that Watanabe’s IQ is one of his "greatest assets." Memphis Hustle assistant coach Antoine Broxsie was also impressed by his IQ. Watanabe’s play has been described as "mistake-free." Nurse said in multiple interviews that Watanabe "doesn’t make mistakes" during games. Pranica also remarked that Watanabe "rarely made the same mistake twice after having been coached on it." His energy and hustle has also become his defining trait in the NBA, impressing Nurse and fans. In addition, Watanabe has been praised for being constantly in motion, which helped him to "always be a step ahead of the opposing offence" as noted by Raptors HQ of SB Nation. Sports Illustrated
''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...
observed that Watanabe "plays like his feet are on fire," and that he is "constantly running around, jumping in and out of attacking lanes, and wreaking havoc on opposing offences." Nurse also stated that his constant motion helps the team’s offence. Watanabe has been criticized because of his lack of weight and muscle from his college career even until he turned professional. George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
head coach Mike Lonergan
Michael Thomas Lonergan (born January 28, 1966) is the former head coach of the George Washington University Colonials men's basketball team. He replaced Karl Hobbs. He was formerly the coach of the University of Vermont Catamounts and the Cath ...
said that he hoped that he weighed over 200 pounds by the start of his sophomore season. KJ Matsui commented on his frame as well, saying, "If he puts more muscles and get big, he will be unstoppable." Pranica also pointed out that Watanabe "needs to get physically bigger and stronger so that he is not overmatched."
Watanabe supposedly lacked panache at the time he joined the George Washington basketball program, with teammate Kevin Larsen commenting, "We told him to find a new celebration because the one he had wasn't cutting it. He was, like, jumping in the air making a weird face. So we tried to help him find a new one." Watanabe sometimes mimicks Carmelo Anthony, using the "three to the dome" celebration after making three-pointers.
Personal life
Watanabe was born on October 13, 1994, in Yokohama, Kanagawa, in Japan, and grew up in Miki, Kagawa
is a town located in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 26,449 in 10963 households and a population density of 270 persons per km². The total area of the town is .
Geography
Miki is located in eastern Kagawa P ...
. Watanabe's family has a rich history in basketball. His mother, Kumi, played for the Chanson V-Magic
The Chanson V-Magic are a basketball team based in Shizuoka, Shizuoka, playing in the Women's Japan Basketball League. Notable players
*Anne Donovan
* Maki Eguchi
* Saori Fujiyoshi
* Ha Eun-ju
* Aki Ichijō
* Sachiko Ishikawa
*Tammy Jackson
* Hiroe ...
and the Japan women's national team. His father played for the Kumagai Gumi Bruins
The Kumagai Gumi Bruins were a Japanese basketball team that played in the Japan Basketball League. They were based in Tokyo.
Notable players
*Toshihiro Goto
*Moses Scurry
*Harvest Smith
Coaches
*Osamu Kuraishi
is the former head coach of th ...
at the professional level. Watanabe's sister, Yuki, played with the Aisin AW Wings
The Aisin Wings are a basketball team based in Anjo, Aichi, playing in the Women's Japan Basketball League.
Notable players
* Maki Eguchi
* Kadija Konate
*Kiho Miyashita
is a Japanese basketball player who plays for Aisin AW Wings of the ...
. During his childhood, Watanabe's favorite NBA team was the Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
and his favorite athlete was Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
.
On May 26, 2022, former Fuji TV announcer Akiko Kuji
is a Japanese freelance announcer, fashion model, '' tarento'', and actress. She is a former Fuji Television announcer from 2017 to 2022.
Biography
Akiko Kuji was born in Ōshū, Iwate. She has the height of . She spent 18 years in Iwate Prefec ...
announced her marriage to him.
Career statistics
NBA
Regular season
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
, 15 , , 0 , , 11.6 , , .294 , , .125 , , .700 , , 2.1 , , .5 , , .3 , , .1 , , 2.6
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Memphis
, 18 , , 0 , , 5.8 , , .441 , , .375 , , .375 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , .3 , , .1 , , 2.0
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, 50 , , 4 , , 14.5 , , .439 , , .400 , , .828 , , 3.2 , , .8 , , .5 , , .4 , , 4.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;",
, style="text-align:left;", Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, 38 , , 4 , , 11.7 , , .406 , , .342 , , .600 , , 2.4 , , .6 , , .3 , , .4 , , 4.3
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 121 , , 8 , , 12.0 , , .409 , , .352 , , .667 , , 2.5 , , .6 , , .4 , , .3 , , 3.8
Playoffs
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2022
File:2022 collage V1.png, Clockwise, from top left: Road junction at Yamato-Saidaiji Station several hours after the assassination of Shinzo Abe; 2022 Sri Lankan protests, Anti-government protest in Sri Lanka in front of the Presidential Secretari ...
, style="text-align:left;", Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, 4 , , 0 , , 2.5 , , .333 , , .000 , , — , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 1.0
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 4 , , 0 , , 2.5 , , .333 , , .000 , , — , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , .0 , , 1.0
College
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2014–15
, style="text-align:left;", George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
, 35 , , 10 , , 22.5 , , .384 , , .348 , , .831 , , 3.5 , , .6 , , .4 , , .6 , , 7.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2015–16
, style="text-align:left;", George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
, 38 , , 37 , , 27.7 , , .422 , , .306 , , .707 , , 4.0 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , 1.1 , , 8.4
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2016–17
, style="text-align:left;", George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
, 28 , , 27 , , 35.1 , , .444 , , .314 , , .817 , , 4.8 , , 2.5 , , 1.1 , , 1.1 , , 12.2
, -
, style="text-align:left;", 2017–18
, style="text-align:left;", George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
, 33 , , 33 , , 36.6 , , .437 , , .364 , , .807 , , 6.1 , , 1.6 , , .8 , , 1.6 , , 16.3
, - class="sortbottom"
, style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career
, 134 , , 107 , , 30.1 , , .425 , , .337 , , .788 , , 4.5 , , 1.4 , , .7 , , 1.1 , , 10.9
See also
* Basketball in Japan
* Basketball in the United States
Basketball is the second most popular sport in the United States (counting amateur levels), after American football. In terms of revenue, the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the third most profitable sports league in the United States an ...
Notes
References
External links
*
George Washington Colonials bio
Yuta Watanabe
at fiba.basketball
at archive.fiba.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watanabe, Yuta
1994 births
Living people
2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup players
Basketball players at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Brooklyn Nets players
George Washington Colonials men's basketball players
Japanese expatriate basketball people in the United States
Japanese expatriate basketball people in Canada
Japanese men's basketball players
Memphis Grizzlies players
Memphis Hustle players
National Basketball Association players from Japan
Olympic basketball players of Japan
Raptors 905 players
Shooting guards
Small forwards
Sportspeople from Kagawa Prefecture
Toronto Raptors players
Undrafted National Basketball Association players