[ad_1]
Ten years ago, when Yuta Watanabe was growing up, he had to idolize players who didn’t look or sound like him, like Kobe Bryant, a star on the other side of the world.
now? He was a so-called “chosen one” in his home country of Japan and a hugely popular basketball Pied Piper in his home country, not only making the Nets the most followed team in the country, but also leading the league. It is also spurring the growth of itself.
It’s a role, it’s a responsibility, and the 6-foot-9 backup forward takes it seriously.
“Yeah, obviously I haven’t spoken to all the young guys, but I hope so,” Watanabe said.
“When I came to America when I was 18, I said I wanted to be one of the pioneers. I hope many young people will follow me when they see my success. And now I think I’m having a successful season and a lot of young guys are watching me play. [say]”I want to be an NBA player.”
At this point, Watanabe proved himself to be. Watanabe, who came in as a two-way for the Grizzlies and became a fan favorite in his last two seasons with Toronto before being sacked last summer, was Brooklyn’s GM Sean the latest find in his marks.
Watanabe has become a key rotation player for a star-studded title contender and a legitimate threat to capture the league’s 3-point shooting crown. Whether it’s his career year or he’s playing alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Either way, Watanabe, who married Japanese actress/model/TV host Akiko Kuji last year, has gone from popular to iconic home.
“All of the above,” NBA.com Japan writer Daisuke Sugiura told The Post. “He’s obviously been playing great this year, and I think playing alongside Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and Ben Simmons is a huge boost to his popularity.
“Basketball isn’t the most popular sport in Japan, but those who love basketball know KD, who just won gold in Tokyo. Yuta seems to have earned their trust. The undrafted guy who didn’t even have a contract is now helping candidates and developing chemistry with all those superstars. difficult”
Even that Contender’s coach agreed that Jack Vaughan was as caught up in Watanabe’s story as the outsiders were.
“It’s cool to see,” Vaughan said. “One of the things that immediately struck me when I looked back on my childhood was seeing which Lakers I could one day be. How can I become the next Yuta Watanabe?
“He gives hope to kids who want to play hoops in Japan so they can meet people like them and go for it. and at the same time knowing he’s in the NBA and a lot of people respecting that. [a] The reason is that he’s working hard and he deserves to be here.
Bourne wasn’t the only basketball-loving kid who grew up idolizing the Lakers.
Watanabe was born in Kagawa Prefecture and moved to Miki, a small town with a population of about 20,000. His father, mother, and sister Yuki were all professional baseball players, and his mother Kumi also played for the Japan national team, but Watanabe took his NBA inspiration to the next level when he was 14,000 miles away. I was looking and looking at Bryant.
His trip to the NBA was even further down the road.
Back at Jinsei Gakuen High School, Watanabe set an unheard-of goal of joining the NCAA Division 1 program and, ultimately, the NBA. In 2013, he packed up and enrolled in Connecticut’s Prep Power St. Thomas More, where he devoted his solitary year to George’s full ride to Washington.
From an A-10 to an undrafted Summer League invite, to a two-way deal to earning a spot in the Brooklyn rotation, Watanabe has made a name for himself with others like Nebraska’s Takanari Tominaga (a Japanese left-handed shooter like him). has paved the way for the people of .
“Previously there was no [path]’ said Mr. Watanabe. “I didn’t even know how to get to D1. So it’s great to see so many Japanese fans following me and cheering me on, so I hope to continue to have a successful season.”
That season was more successful than the Nets expected. Signed to a non-guaranteed deal, he appeared against Oklahoma City on Sunday, shooting . 519 from the Deep and taking just one 3-pointer to qualify for the league lead.
Beyond technique and tactics, if Watanabe has given Japan’s young players anything to emulate, it’s the fairness of the sweat that earned him his place in the league.
“You can see it in the way he works,” Vaughan said. “On his days off, Yuta is always there. If it’s an opportunity to get better, Yuta is doing it. It’s his way of understanding that he owns this opportunity and doesn’t want to let it go.” At 28, I’ve done a lot to get to this point, and now I have a firm grip on it.”
According to YouGov Japan Global Fan Study 2022, there are over 19 million NBA fans in Japan.
“The Japanese fanbase is growing,” Watanabe said. “Basketball is getting more and more popular. Baseball and soccer are huge in Japan. …I mean, basketball has gotten better in the last three or four years.”
The Nets were the most-watched team on the NBA Rakuten streaming service through January 2, with viewership up 83% from last year and fourth place excluding Watanabe. When Watanabe appeared, the audience rating increased by 2.5 times.
Watanabe’s highlights on NBA Japan’s Twitter get 20-25x the average post. And as of New Year’s Eve, he’s leading all jersey sales on his NBAStore.jp, nearly five times his sales last season.
“Yuta Watanabe has been one of Japan’s most popular NBA players since he was drafted in 2018, but his impact this season, combined with the general energy and enthusiasm surrounding the Japanese NBA, has been a NBA Asia Managing Director Ramez Sheikh said: “This is a function of Yuta’s personal success this season. In addition, he plays a key role for a team competing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings.”
A recent survey found that over 30% of Chinese and Filipino fans consider the NBA their favorite sport. The league has long prioritized both countries. Japan has loved baseball for a long time. But considering he’s the world’s third-largest economy, with $5 trillion, it’s no surprise that the NBA is determined to make its way there.
“Basketball and the NBA have a lot of momentum in Japan, and having a local hero like Yuta will undoubtedly fuel the league and the game’s fandom.” , is committed to expanding the larger basketball ecosystem in Japan.”
Watanabe only serves that purpose. Shayk credits his popularity with having a career year where he played with contenders alongside Durant and Irving and eventually found a suitable home in Brooklyn.
But most of all, it’s the fans who react to his story.
“There is no question about that,” Sugiura said. “He gave hope to Japanese basketball kids. He wasn’t the most athletic guy and wasn’t seen as promising. I’m finding a way
“This is the story of a typical underdog that the Japanese admire. A dream come true… I think he deserves to be more popular and famous in Japan, but many basketball-loving kids are now following their example.” I have. His name is Yuta Watanabe.”
[ad_2]
Source link
