Twelve players who have been nominated to represent Japan in the Tokyo Olympics for men's basketball have been announced, and Rui Hachimura, who belongs to the NBA and Wizards of the American professional basketball team, has been selected.

The Japanese national basketball team has decided to participate in the Tokyo Olympics in the host country frame.



On the 5th, head coach Julio Lamas held an online press conference and announced 12 unofficial athletes who will participate in the Olympic Games for the first time in 45 years since the 1976 Montreal Games.



There are three players playing in overseas teams, including Yamura, who belongs to the NBA Wizards and was the first Japanese player to participate in the playoffs, Yuta Watanabe of the same NBA Raptors, and a professional in Australia. Yudai Baba, who belongs to the league team, Melbourne United, was selected.



Yuki Togashi of Chiba Jets and Daiki Tanaka of Alvark Tokyo were selected as players to play in the B League.



In addition, the FIBA ​​= International Basketball Federation has decided that up to 1 out of 12 players are from abroad and have acquired Japanese nationality, and Gavin Edwards, who is from the United States and belongs to the B League Chiba Jets, was selected. ..



Two captains, Watanabe and Tanaka.



Of the three members of the overseas team, Watanabe will join the team after the 5th, and Hachimura and Baba will join the team in the middle of this month.



The Japanese national basketball team will make adjustments for the Olympics this month, including a warm-up game in Okinawa Prefecture and Saitama City.

Lamas HC "Challenge without fear"

Julio Lamas, head coach of Japan's basketball boy, said, "The most important thing is to be able to put out what we have cultivated so far without being upset. We expose all the best offenses and the best defenses, and we do not know what will happen as a result. No, but I think you can see where Japan is now. I want the players to think about the current situation and work hard without thinking about whether to win or lose. I want to take on the challenge without having it, "he said, showing his enthusiasm for the Olympics, which will be his first appearance in 45 years.



Regarding the reason why Yuta Watanabe and Daiki Tanaka were nominated as captains, "Watanabe's appearance of challenging the NBA and grasping the results raises the feelings of other players. I think there is a lot of things that can be conveyed. Tanaka has been on the Japanese national team ever since I became my system, and I have a close look at what I want and understand and absorb it. He is a very smart player, and I appreciate the fact that he immediately understands what I want to convey and acts, and I trust him. "



On top of that, he said, "I would like to further improve the team's perfection through the warm-up games in Okinawa so that the Olympics can be welcomed in good condition" toward the Olympics, which is less than three weeks before the opening.