Suns’ Yuta Watanabe on Japan’s promising future

Japan has never been a powerhouse on the global basketball stage, and hosting part of the 2023 World Cup was something that they wanted to help put themselves on the map. Considered one of the better teams in Asia, Japan wanted to prove themselves …

Japan has never been a powerhouse on the global basketball stage, and hosting part of the 2023 World Cup was something that they wanted to help put themselves on the map. Considered one of the better teams in Asia, Japan wanted to prove themselves on the world stage, and they somehow did that even though they didn’t make it out of the Round Robin stage.

In dramatic fashion, Japan came back from 18 down to beat the Lauri Markkanen-led Finland team to help Japan win their first World Cup game in 17 years.

Yuta Watanabe, one of the stars of Japan, reminisced recently about his experience this past summer.

“That was really fun. We have great fans in Okinawa. We worked really hard. We beat Finland, Cape Verde, and Venezuela. Those are really good teams, so that was really fun and I’m really excited for the Olympics.”

Currently No. 26 in FIBA rankings, Japan hopes to make some noise in the Paris 2024 Olympics. Obviously, on paper, the team is not on par with juggernauts like the United States, France or Germany, but Watanabe hopes Japan will have an auspicious future, even after he retires.

“If I’m going to retire in five, six years in a realistic world, we [probably] not going to be one of the top teams in the world in five years, but I think at least we will be good enough to compete against those great teams. I mean we did a good job against Germany and Australia in the World Cup. We lost by 20 but we won the second half. I think in five, six years we gonna be there to compete against those teams.”

Franz Wagner on the Magic’s rise, Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley, Cole Anthony, Germany

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner discussed the team’s hot start and future, Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley, Cole Anthony, Germany, and more with Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto on the latest episode of The HoopsHype Podcast.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner discussed the team’s hot start and future, Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley, Cole Anthony, Germany, and more with Senior NBA Insider Michael Scotto on the latest episode of The HoopsHype Podcast.

For more interviews with players, coaches, and media members, be sure to like and subscribe to the HoopsHype podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. Listen to the podcast above or check out some snippets of the conversation in a transcribed version below.

The top scorers vs. Team USA with NBA players

Just yesterday, Canada’s Dillon Brooks beat the record for most points scored vs. Team USA (with NBA players) in a major FIBA tournament game. But who are the overall all-time leaders against the red, white and blue? We’ve together the ranking for …

Just yesterday, Canada’s Dillon Brooks beat the record for most points scored vs. Team USA (with NBA players) in a major FIBA tournament game. But who are the overall all-time leaders against the red, white and blue?

We’ve together the ranking for you, one that features multiple well-known Spanish and Argentinian stars and other guys you’ve never heard about.

The best scoring performances ever against Team USA with NBA players

Here are the best scoring performances ever against Team USA with NBA players.

Dillon Brooks went off for 39 points and seven threes in Canada’s bronze medal game win over Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. It was the best scoring performance ever against Team USA with NBA players, and of course, it generated a lot of responses.

That said, we present the top-scoring performances ever against NBA-studded USA teams. From what you’ll see, most of the best scoring performances come from international NBA players. Only one of the twelve players listed hasn’t played a single NBA game in his career.

LOOK: Diminutive World Cup sensation Yuki Kawamura in pictures

After a standout season in the B.League, Japanese guard Yuki Kawamura further enhanced his reputation on the international stage during the FIBA World Cup. Standing at just 5-foot-8, he was the tournament’s second shortest player. However, his height didn’t stop him from being one of the brightest stars at the event.

Check some of his pictures at the World Cup below.

The most intriguing young prospects in the World Cup

The 2023 FIBA World Cup wasn’t just a stage for established NBA players; it also spotlighted the rising talent poised to make their mark in the NBA soon. From Lithuania to Iran, the tournament was a great showcase for young talent with the potential …

The 2023 FIBA World Cup wasn’t just a stage for established NBA players; it also spotlighted the rising talent poised to make their mark in the NBA soon. From Lithuania to Iran, the tournament was a great showcase for young talent with the potential to join the Association in the near future.

Here are the most interesting prospects we’ve enjoyed in the last weeks.