Yuta Watanabe

BIOGRAPHY

Yuta Watanabe was born on October 13, 1994, in Yokohama, Kanagawa. He a shooting guard in the NBA.

Watanabe's family has a rich history in basketball. His mother, Kumi, played basketball for the Chanson V-Magic in the top leagues of Japan and competed with the Japan women's national team. His father also played for the Kumagai Gumi Bruins at the professional level. Watanabe's sister, Yuki, played with the Aisin AW Wings of the Women's Japan Basketball League. During his childhood, Watanabe's favorite NBA player was Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers, which are also his favorite basketball team.

Before moving to the collegiate level, Watanabe attended Jinsei Gakuen High School in Zentsūji, Kagawa. He later transferred to St. Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Connecticut in 2013. Watanabe rose to fame with this high school program, and was one of their most valuable players in the National Prep School Invitational as a senior in 2014. In college, he became the fourth Japan-born Division I basketball player of all-time.

Wataatanabe is n a two-way contract with the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League. He played college basketball in the United States for the George Washington Colonials after becoming the first Japan-born student athlete to secure a NCAA Division I basketball scholarship. He was named the Atlantic 10 Conference's defensive player of the year in 2018. He has also represented Japan internationally and helped the team win the bronze medal at the 2013 East Asia Basketball Championship.

Wataatanabe signed a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and their NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. On October 27, 2018, Watanabe made his NBA debut, coming off from bench. 

On November 27, 2020, Watanabe signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Toronto Raptors to join their pre-season roster. 

On December 19, his deal was converted to a two-way contract, after he made the team out of pre-season. On December 31, Watanabe debuted for the Toronto Raptors, he recorded four rebounds, an assist, a block and a steal across nine minutes in a 100–83 win over New York Knicks, notching their first victory of the season.

On August 28, 2022, Watanabe signed with the Brooklyn Nets in free agency. During November 2022, Watanabe led the NBA in three point shooting percentage at that point in the 2022-23 season. Watanabe would have his best career season shooting from beyond the arc at 44.4%.

On July 4, 2023, Watanabe signed with the Phoenix Suns.