Rui Hachimura for Nissin Foods
Culture

Historic years ahead for Japanese basketball

When the NBA draft happened on June 20th, the Washington Wizards selected a 6’8”(2.032 meters) forward from Gonzaga University with the 9th pick in the draft. The player comes from a University with a historically good basketball program, so no one is surprised to see Gonzaga have a player selected in the lottery. Some experts were a little surprised to see the player taken at 9th when many expected him to be chosen around the 12-20th pick but that isn’t too much of a difference in the grand scheme of the draft. What makes this draft pick really stand out is where he is from.