Yuta Watanabe

2.1. High School Career and US Study Abroad

Watanabe attended Jinsei Gakuen High School in Kagawa Prefecture, starting in April 2010. He quickly became a starter and led the basketball team to the runner-up position in the All-Japan High School Basketball Tournament for two consecutive years, in 2011 and 2012, earning a spot on the tournament's Best 5 team both times. While at Jinsei Gakuen, Watanabe articulated his career goal of reaching the NCAA and ultimately joining the NBA.

By spring 2012, at the beginning of his third year of high school, Watanabe had decided to study abroad in the United States. Despite initial opposition from those around him, his decision was strongly supported by Yuta Tabuse, an NBA veteran, during the summer of the same year. This endorsement helped convince his family to support his move to the U.S. After graduating from high school in March 2013, Watanabe moved to the United States and enrolled at St. Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Connecticut, starting in September 2013. This preparatory school was a stepping stone for him to gain admission to an NCAA Division I university.

During his single season at St. Thomas More in 2013-14, Watanabe averaged 13 points and 6 rebounds per game. He was instrumental in leading the team to a 26-8 overall record and an appearance in the National Prep Championship game. In his first appearance at the annual National Prep School Invitational on January 31, 2014, Watanabe scored 12 points against Suffield Academy. He also contributed 20 points and 6 rebounds in a 70-61 victory against Canarias Basketball Academy from Spain. For his outstanding performance, he was named to the National Prep School Invitational All-Tournament Team and received prestigious New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) Class AAA First Team All-League honors. The Japan Times notably dubbed him "the Chosen One" during this period. ESPN Recruiting Nation rated him as a 77, a three-star recruit, a rating also given by Scout.com.

2.2. College Career

In February 2014, Watanabe committed to play for the George Washington Colonials (now Revolutionaries), making him the first Japanese-born male player to receive an NCAA Division I basketball athletic scholarship and only the fourth Japanese-born player to compete at that level, following KJ Matsui, Michael Takahashi, and Taishi Ito. His second option was Fordham, which also extended an offer. Upon his commitment, Watanabe expressed his determination via Twitter, stating he would "give it [his] best shot" despite anticipating challenges in both basketball and academics.

Upon his arrival at George Washington in Fall 2014, Watanabe quickly became the subject of profiles in major American newspapers such as The New York Times and The Washington Post, highlighting his exceptional journey. His presence also led to George Washington's athletics website receiving the second-highest number of views from Japan by country, underscoring the significant interest from his home country. Watanabe emphasized his desire to inspire other Japanese players, stating, "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." Unlike some other East Asian players, he reportedly did not encounter racially insensitive remarks in his early years in the U.S. or the NBA, asserting, "If they said something racist, I don't care."

Watanabe's four years at George Washington University included significant contributions and accolades.

• Freshman (2014-15)

Watanabe made his NCAA debut on November 14, 2014, against Grambling State, contributing 8 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 block in 20 minutes to a 92-40 victory, the team's largest win since 1999. On December 12, he was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week, averaging 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds across three games, helping the team secure the 2014 Diamond Head Classic title with a 60-54 upset win over No. 11 ranked Wichita State, where he hit a crucial three-pointer in the final minutes. He achieved a career-high 21 points, including seven 3-pointers, against Massachusetts on March 7. On March 9, he earned his second Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honor, leading the Colonials to a 2-0 finish in the regular season with a team-best 13.5 points on 53% shooting. As a freshman, Watanabe served as a key bench player and an instrumental element in the Colonials' rotation, often receiving significant playing time in late-game situations. He finished the season with averages of 7.4 points and 3.5 rebounds per game. The team participated in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), achieving a historic first-round victory against Pittsburgh before being eliminated by Temple.

• Sophomore (2015-16)

On March 5, 2016, Watanabe recorded career-highs of 22 points and 6 assists in a game against Davidson. He further contributed a team-high 19 points and a career-high 4 blocks as George Washington secured their first postseason championship, winning the 2016 National Invitation Tournament with a 76-60 victory over Valparaiso on March 31. Overall, he led the team in blocked shots with 40, ranking second in the Atlantic 10. He averaged 8.4 points per game, the fifth-best on the team, along with 4.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 blocks. In August, as part of the George Washington University team, he played in exhibition matches against the Japan national team (three games) and the Ryukyu Golden Kings (one game).

• Junior (2016-17)

Watanabe achieved his first career double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds in a 77-75 win over Siena on November 15, 2016. On January 8, 2017, he set a career-high with 3 steals against Richmond. He scored a season-high 21 points in an 80-71 loss against Illinois on March 20. Despite an early-season calf injury that caused him to miss seven games, Watanabe was the second-leading scorer for George Washington, averaging 12.2 points per game. He was also named to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team.

• Senior (2017-18)

As a senior, Watanabe was named one of the three captains for George Washington. On November 20, 2017, he grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds against Rider. He recorded a career-high 5 steals against Morgan State on November 29. In his final collegiate game for the Colonials on February 28, 2018, Watanabe scored a career-high 31 points in a 72-56 victory over Fordham. He finished the season as George Washington's leading scorer with 16.3 points per game, second-leading rebounder with 6.1 rebounds per game, and led the team in blocks with 54. He was recognized as a top-class two-way player in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Watanabe made history as the first Colonial to win the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also selected to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third Team and the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team for the second consecutive season. Additionally, he received George Washington's Patricio Garino Defensive Award and Mike Brown MVP Award.

By the end of his college career, Watanabe ranked second in blocked shots (147), second in games played (134), and 15th in scoring (1,460) in GWU history, demonstrating his consistent impact throughout his four years.

3.1. NBA Career

Following his college career, Watanabe went undrafted in the 2018 NBA draft. He then played for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2018 NBA Summer League. On July 20, 2018, he signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and their NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.

• Memphis Grizzlies (2018-2020)

Watanabe made his NBA debut on October 27, 2018, coming off the bench for 2 points and 2 rebounds in a 117-96 victory over the Phoenix Suns. This appearance made him the second Japanese player in NBA history, following Yuta Tabuse's debut in 2004. During his time with the Grizzlies, his presence significantly boosted merchandise sales in Japan, where the Grizzlies ranked third behind the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. On February 7, 2019, in his 10th NBA game, he played a career-high 26 s and became the first Japanese player to score double digits in an NBA game, recording 10 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He also achieved another first for a Japanese player by making an in-game dunk against the Dallas Mavericks on April 5, 2019. In the 2018-19 season, he played 15 NBA games, averaging 2.6 points and 2.1 rebounds in 11.6 min. Concurrently, he played 33 games for the Memphis Hustle in the G League, starting 32 of them, averaging 14.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.1 blocks in 33.9 min.

For the 2019-20 season, Watanabe continued to split his time between the Grizzlies and the Hustle. On December 14, 2019, he and Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards made history as the first pair of Japanese players to compete against each other on an NBA court. In the G League, Watanabe demonstrated strong performance, recording a team-high 28 points against the Iowa Wolves on January 4, 2020. He then set a career-high with 40 points, shooting 14-of-20 from the field and 8-of-11 from three-point range, in a win against the Delaware Blue Coats on January 22. His strong play earned him a selection to the Midseason All-NBA G League team for the Western Conference. In 22 G League games, all starts, he averaged 17.2 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.0 block in 32.7 min, with a field goal percentage of 54.6% and a three-point percentage of 36.4%. Despite playing in 18 NBA games that season, his playing time decreased, although his field goal and three-point percentages improved.

• Toronto Raptors (2020-2022)

On November 27, 2020, Watanabe signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Toronto Raptors to join their pre-season roster. After a successful pre-season where he shot over 50% from the field in all three games, his deal was converted to a two-way contract on December 19, 2020, securing his spot on the team's opening roster. He made his Raptors debut on December 31, 2020, contributing 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block, and 1 steal in 9 minutes during a 100-83 win over the New York Knicks, which was the team's first victory of the season.

On January 29, 2021, Watanabe scored a then-career-high 12 points off the bench, along with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in a season-high 24 min against the Sacramento Kings. He suffered a left ankle injury during a workout on February 9, missing four games before returning on February 18 against the Milwaukee Bucks. On March 4, Watanabe made his first career NBA start against the Detroit Pistons, grabbing 4 rebounds in 11 min. He surpassed his career-high on April 10, 2021, with 14 points (6-of-7 field goals, 2-of-2 three-pointers), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 23 min against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Just six days later, on April 16, he again surpassed his career-high, scoring 21 points (7-of-11 field goals, 2-of-4 three-pointers) with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block in 26 min against the Orlando Magic. On April 18, he achieved his longest double-digit scoring streak in his three-year NBA career, with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists against the Oklahoma City Thunder. On April 19, 2021, the Raptors converted his two-way deal to a standard NBA contract, a testament to his strong performance; notably, he never played for the Raptors 905 in the G League during this period. In October 2021, he was named one of Forbes 30 Under 30 Japan.

Watanabe missed the first 18 games of the 2021-22 season due to a left calf sprain, returning on November 24, 2021, against the Memphis Grizzlies. On December 14, he recorded his first career double-double with 12 points and a then-career-high 11 rebounds against the Sacramento Kings. He then set new career-highs on December 26 with 26 points and 13 rebounds against the Cleveland Cavaliers, though the team suffered a significant loss. After contracting COVID-19 in January 2022, his performance declined, leading him to voluntarily join the Raptors 905 in the G League for adjustment on January 24, where he posted 24 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks against the Westchester Knicks before being recalled to the NBA. The Raptors advanced to the 2022 NBA playoffs, where Watanabe made his first playoff appearance against the Philadelphia 76ers. However, the team was eliminated in six games, and Watanabe became a free agent at the end of the season.

• Brooklyn Nets (2022-2023)

On August 28, 2022, Watanabe signed a non-guaranteed training camp contract with the Brooklyn Nets. He performed well in pre-season games and secured a spot on the opening roster for the 2022-23 season. In November 2022, Watanabe led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage, ultimately finishing the season with a career-best 44.4% from beyond the arc. On November 18, he scored a season-high 20 points, making 5 consecutive three-pointers, in a 109-107 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Two days later, against the Memphis Grizzlies, he scored 16 points, hitting 4 consecutive three-pointers in the second half, contributing to a 127-115 victory.

• Phoenix Suns (2023-2024)

On July 4, 2023, Watanabe signed a two-year contract with the Phoenix Suns. He maintained good form during the pre-season, averaging over 10 points across four games. On November 1, he recorded a season-high 11 points against the San Antonio Spurs. However, his three-point shooting struggled, leading to a gradual decrease in playing time.

• Return to Memphis (2024)

On February 8, 2024, Watanabe was traded back to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal involving the Brooklyn Nets. In his first game back with the Grizzlies on February 13, he scored 11 points in approximately 25 min against the New Orleans Pelicans, tying his season high. However, after a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on March 2, he missed subsequent games due to injury and "personal reasons," which he later revealed were related to his mental health. Watanabe subsequently announced his intention to decline his player option for the next season and return to Japan to play professionally.

3.2. B.League Return

On July 11, 2024, Yuta Watanabe signed with the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League, marking his return to professional basketball in Japan. This decision came after a challenging period in the NBA, during which he openly discussed the significant mental and physical toll of maintaining his career in the league. His candid revelation about his struggles with mental health, which contributed to his departure from the NBA, highlighted his personal reasons for returning to Japan, seeking an environment that better supports his well-being.

5.1. Playing Style

Watanabe's core competencies revolve around his defensive prowess. He is noted for his "great hands on the defensive end," which enable him to disrupt opposing offenses. His "defensive instinct" has been praised as "impressive," and his head coach, Nick Nurse, noted that his defense "rub[s] off on others." Watanabe's basketball IQ is considered one of his "greatest assets," as he consistently "seems to be in the right spot on both ends of the court." His play is often described as "mistake-free," with Nurse stating that Watanabe "doesn't make mistakes" during games and "rarely made the same mistake twice."

In addition to his defensive acumen, Watanabe's energy and hustle are defining traits. He is known for being "constantly in motion," playing "like his feet are on fire," and "wreaking havoc on opposing offenses." This constant movement not only contributes to his defensive effectiveness but also aids the team's offense. Despite being over 6.6 ft ^{(2 m)} tall, Watanabe is an all-around player who is proficient in outside plays like cut-ins and three-point shooting. His long wingspan (84 in ^{(214 cm)}) and high athleticism contribute to his versatility, allowing him to play multiple positions effectively.

Early in his career, particularly during his college years and transition to professional play, Watanabe was sometimes criticized for his lack of weight and muscle. His college coach, Mike Lonergan, expressed hope that Watanabe would weigh over 200 lb ^{(200 lb)} by his sophomore season. KJ Matsui also commented that Watanabe would be "unstoppable" if he added more muscle. However, Watanabe's dedication and constant effort have consistently impressed coaches and fans alike.

Watanabe also has a distinctive celebration; he sometimes mimics Carmelo Anthony by using the "three to the dome" celebration after making three-pointers.

5.2. Awards and Recognition

Watanabe has received several individual accolades throughout his career, recognizing his defensive skills and overall impact:

• Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year (2018)
• Third-team All-Atlantic 10 (2018)
• 2× Atlantic 10 All-Defensive Team (2017, 2018)
• Forbes 30 Under 30 Japan (2021)

7.1. NBA

7.2. College