Yuta Watanabe fulfilled a dream by playing in the NBA. He appeared in 213 games over a six-season span (2018-24). And now he's ready for a new challenge, and a fresh start, weeks shy of his 30th birthday.
A few weeks before the 2024 Paris Olympics began in late July, it became official that Watanabe had agreed to terms of a contract to play for the B.League's Chiba Jets, a perennial title-chasing club, in the 2024-25 season.
At that time, Watanabe stated that he would don a new jersey number for the Jets. He had worn either No 12 or No 18 for the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns.
"I've chosen the number 1 to start a new professional basketball career in Japan," Watanabe wrote on Instagram in July. "I'm excited to start my journey in a new environment!"
On Tuesday, August 27, Watanabe attended an introductory news conference at a Tokyo hotel. He spoke enthusiastically about joining the Jets, pursuing a championship in the upcoming season, and shared other details about his decision to sign a contract with Chiba.
Adding an element of intrigue to Watanabe's move to the Jets is the relationship he already had with new Jets head coach Trevor Gleeson. When the veteran Australian basketball mentor was an assistant coach for the Raptors (2021-23), it overlapped with Watanabe's time with the team (2020-22).
Watanabe, who turns 30 on October 13, has lofty expectations for Gleeson in the B.League.
"His passion and knowledge are necessary to liven up not only the Chiba Jets but the entire Japan basketball world," Watanabe said at the news conference, according to Nikkan Sports. "I hope I can perform well under his guidance and aim to win the championship."
Gleeson Brings Impressive Credentials to Japan
Gleeson, 56, has a track record of success that most coaches can only dream of.
From 2013-21, he patrolled the sideline as the bench boss of the Australian NBL's Perth Wildcats. Gleeson guided the club to league titles in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019 and '20.
After leaving Perth, Gleeson worked for the Raptors. Then he joined the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant coach for the 2023-24 season.
As the 2024-25 season approaches, Gleeson is fired up about the opportunity to be a head coach once again.
"I want to build a team that aims to win the championship," Gleeson was quoted as saying by The Asahi Shimbun.
He then said, "I want to fight like it's a championship [game] in every game."
Without a doubt, Watanabe's versatility, especially on defense where he's guarded guards, forwards and centers throughout his career, will be a key part of the Jets' recipe for success.
At the news conference, Gleeson spoke about his overall vision for the Jets.
"It's important that the five players on the court have synergy and play team basketball," was Gleeson's quick explanation, The Asahi Shimbun reported.
Yuta Watanabe Discusses His Decision to Choose the Jets
In what was accurately described in the Japanese press as a bidding war, Yuta Watanabe finalized his plans for the next chapter of his basketball career in July.
Approximately 20 B.League teams, representing both the first and second divisions, tried to sign Watanabe.
"All the teams made me attractive offers, [but] I felt that the Chiba Jets gave me the most enthusiasm of any team," Watanabe said at the Tokyo hotel, according to Sports Hochi.
There's the added incentive of joining a team with a track record of success, including five Emperor's Cup (All Japan Basketball Championship) titles, and a winning culture. And don't forget this: the Jets have a new home, LaLa arena TOKYO-BAY, too.
The Jets will play preseason games against the Sunrockers Shibuya and the KBL's Seoul SK Knights on September 15 and 16 before hosting their season-opening game at LaLa arena on October 5 against the Utsunomiya Brex.
As a spectator, Watanabe attended two Jets games at their former home, Funabashi Arena, which has a seating capacity of around 4,300. He recalled that the experience of watching those games made an impression on him.
"The excitement and [entertainment] production at the venue is fantastic," Watanabe commented. "They play high-level basketball that's fun to watch."
Watanabe added, "I'm looking forward to playing at the even bigger LaLa arena."
LaLa arena seats 10,000 spectators.
Shooting for Success with the Jets
Before he suits up for his highly anticipated first game with the Jets, Watanabe also spoke at the press gathering about what he believes the Japanese public and the nation's basketball fans will expect from him in the B.League.
After all, Watanabe knows that his NBA career, from start to finish, was always under the microscope in the land of his birth.
"I think people have high expectations of me as a former NBA player," Watanabe was quoted as saying by Sports Hochi.
Therefore, he added, "I hope I can contribute to the development of Japanese basketball."
With Watanabe and eight-time B.League All-Star point guard Yuki Togashi, a fellow Olympian on the Japan national team, playing for the Jets, they will form a dynamic one-two punch for the club.
Competing alongside Togashi should help ease Watanabe's adjustment to the B.League. And from a broader perspective, joining the Jets at this stage of his career was an important decision for a couple of reasons: he wants consistent playing time, and the team is supporting his struggles with mental health.
Watanabe earnestly revealed on Tuesday that the Jets were "the only club that emphasized that they wanted to fully support me with my mental health issues, which was the biggest reason for me to return to Japan," The Asahi Shimbun reported.
2023-24 NBA Season: a Difficult Period in Watanabe's Career
After being traded from the Suns to the Grizzlies in February 2024, Watanabe only appeared in five more games to close out the season. He was inactive for the final 19 games. From a mental standpoint, it was difficult for him to handle.
Watanabe opened up about the issue during his introductory news conference with the Jets.
"Towards the end of my NBA career, I was in a situation where I couldn't play much and I went through a bit of a difficult time not being able to play basketball, which I love so much," Watanabe said, according to Tokyo Sports.
"It was only when I became a part of it (counseling) that I truly understood the pain and difficulty of mental issues."
He continued: "It's a pretty sensitive issue, so it's difficult to talk about, and I think it's normal for people to not want to talk about it. But as far as the Chiba Jets are concerned, I just want to support them with all my might. They wanted to support me to the best of their ability and they wanted to create an environment where I could fully enjoy playing basketball."
As a new chapter in his career begins, Yuta Watanabe is highly motivated to showcase the skills that he honed at George Washington University and throughout his NBA years. In doing so, he aims to provide a glimpse of the NBA's elite level of play for B.League fans.
"I want to be able to demonstrate that high level of play on the court," Watanabe said.
RELATED:
- Yuta Watanabe to Play for B.League's Chiba Jets in 2024-25 Season
- [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Analysis: Yuta Watanabe Makes a Smart Choice in Pursuing Move to B.League
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
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