Yuta Watanabe

Basketball has been gaining popularity in Japan over the past few years, and Yuta Watanabe is one of the players who has helped push the sport into the limelight. Born on October 13, 1994, in Kagawa, Japan, Watanabe began playing basketball at a young age and has since become one of the brightest stars in Japan’s basketball scene. He currently plays for the Toronto Raptors, making him the first Japanese player to play for the team.

Watanabe attended St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo, where he played basketball for the school team. During his time at St. Mary’s, he was named MVP of the Far East High School Basketball Tournament twice, and his impressive performance led to him receiving a full scholarship to George Washington University (GWU) in Washington, D.C., where he played in the Atlantic 10 Conference (A-10).

At GWU, Watanabe continued to improve his game and became a key player for the team. In his senior year, he averaged 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game and was named to the A-10 All-Defensive Team. He was also named the MVP of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Basketball Tournament’s Midwest Regional in 2018 after leading his team to the Sweet 16.

After college, Watanabe signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, allowing him to play in both the NBA and the NBA G League. He spent most of his time in the G League but did manage to appear in 15 NBA games for the Grizzlies. In July 2020, he signed a Two-Way Contract with Toronto Raptors.

Despite being the first Japanese player to make it into the NBA in nearly 20 years, Watanabe’s journey hasn’t been easy. In a 2019 interview with The Japan Times, he about the challenges he faced when he first started playing basketball in Japan. “Back then, basketball wasn’t as big as it is now in Japan, and I was somewhat of an outcast,” he said. “I wanted to show that it’s possible to succeed even if you start from scratch.”

Watanabe’s success on the court has helped to inspire a new generation of Japanese basketball players. He has become a role model for many young players who aspire to follow in his footsteps and make it into the NBA.

“Yuta is a true professional and a great ambassador for Japanese basketball,” said Toronto Raptors coach Nick Nurse. “His work ethic, commitment, and talent are all traits that we look for in a player, and Yuta has shown them all in spades. We are excited to have him on our team and can’t wait to see what he will achieve in the NBA.”

Although Watanabe has achieved a lot in his career already, he is still striving to improve his game and take his skills to the next level. With his work ethic and talent, there’s no doubt that we will be seeing a lot more of Yuta Watanabe in the coming years, both on and off the court. He has already become a true legend of Japanese basketball, and his future looks brighter than ever.