Like some European players with limited playing time, Yuta Watanabe chose to give up on the NBA and return to the country. In this case in Japan since in a message posted on social networksthe Grizzlies winger announces that he will play in the B-League, the Japanese championship, next season.
“I just want to play basketball. I want to come in and do what I'm working on in training.” he explains. “I hung on while I was in my 20s, but now I hope to play basketball the way I want to play. The level of Japanese basketball is increasing and I want to play matches where there is great intensity.”
It is because he will soon be 30 that Yuta Watanabe is turning his back on the NBA, to become a star of the Japanese championship. A country that punched its ticket to the Olympics with the former Nets winger as leader, alongside Rui Hachimura, and they will be in the group of France and Germany.
Transferred from the Suns to the Grizzlies in February, Yuta Watanabe played only five games there, plagued by mental health problems.
“I found things difficult…” he continues.“Throughout my twenties, my goal was to continue working in America, regardless of the situation. Never give up, no matter what. It was fun at times, but it was also a lot of work. »
| Yuta Watanabe | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2018-19 | SAME | 15 | 12 | 29.4 | 12.5 | 70.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 2.6 |
| 2019-20 | SAME | 18 | 6 | 44.1 | 37.5 | 37.5 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 2.0 |
| 2020-21 | TOR | 50 | 15 | 43.9 | 40.0 | 82.8 | 0.7 | 2.5 | 3.2 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 4.4 |
| 2021-22 | TOR | 38 | 12 | 40.6 | 34.2 | 60.0 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 0.6 | 1.0 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 4.3 |
| 2022-23 | BRK | 58 | 16 | 49.1 | 44.4 | 72.3 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 5.6 |
| 2023-24 * | All Teams | 34 | 14 | 35.3 | 29.4 | 58.8 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 3.4 |
| 2023-24 * | PHX | 29 | 13 | 36.1 | 32.0 | 66.7 | 0.4 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 3.6 |
| 2023-24 * | SAME | 5 | 16 | 31.6 | 10.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 2.6 |
| Total | 213 | 13 | 42.6 | 37.0 | 67.5 | 0.5 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 4.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
