Beijing time, July 5, 2023, today Watanabe Yuta officially completed a one-year contract signing with the Suns for $2.35 million, he will play for the Suns in the new season, and the big brother Durant successfully reunited, it is said that the reason why the Suns signed Watanabe Yuta, and Durant has a lot of relationship, so what did Watanabe Yuta rely on to gain a foothold in the NBA?
As one of the few Asian players to play in the NBA, Yuta Watanabe does not have particularly outstanding physical fitness, but he has been playing in the NBA for 5 seasons and has been recognized and favored by Durant. Back last summer, when Nets management recruited Yuta Watanabe with an unguaranteed contract, it caused a heated discussion, but it turned out that the Nets did not look away this time, Watanabe Yuta played for the Nets in 58 games, averaged 16 minutes per game, handed over 5.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.3 blocks, shooting 49.1%, three-point shooting rate of 44.4%, as long as Watanabe Yuta played, He is the most active and hardworking player on the court, and his open three-point position is still very certain, which also allows him to get consistent playing time in the Nets with many stars and gain the trust of the coaching staff.
After Yuta Watanabe gained a foothold, he was still conscientious and defensive, and although his physical talent was insufficient, he was able to make up for it with a positive attitude, which is the type of player that all teams want to get, and the humble character of the Asian is also very pleasing. This is also the reason why Durant is very fond of him, in the star-studded Suns, Watanabe Yuta is expected to get more easy shooting opportunities, and as he said, he just needs to shoot those open shots and live up to the trust of his teammates, and he succeeds, and this is indeed what he has been doing.
Seeing that Japan, whose comprehensive strength is much lower than that of China, has Yuta Watanabe in the NBA, it can't help but sigh when will we see Chinese players on this court again. Looking at the whole country, there are many people who are physically stronger than Yuta Watanabe, but it is extremely difficult to enter the NBA. To survive in the brutal NBA, you not only need strength as a foundation, but also a certain element of luck, and mentality is very important. Don't be anxious about sitting on the cold bench for a while, always be ready to play, and when the opportunity comes, be able to seize it in time, and Yuta Watanabe has explained this well.
As the leader of the men's basketball team, Zhou Qi's previous NBA career is extremely regrettable, whether it is personal strength or physical fitness, he is stronger than Yuta Watanabe, obviously he has a player with the strength to play in the NBA, now Zhou Qi just lacks a chance, and the current 27-year-old Zhou Qi is still the most promising player in the NBA in China!