Online content that focuses on the bj-league and/or those involved with the league
From time to time, I'll post links to material that I come across that's related to the bj-league, past, present and future.
Updated on ....
June 24, 2015
One I missed when it was published last October: A feature on former Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase, who's now working as an assistant video coordinator for the Los Angeles Clippers, in the Pacific Citizen, the national newspaper of the Japanese American Citizen Leaue (JACL).
http://www.pacificcitizen.org/natalie-nakase-paves-her-own-path-on-and-off-the-court/
Longtime bj-league star John "Helicopter" Humphrey is the subject of this feature from the Carteret County (North Carolina) News-Times.
http://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/sports/article_91337d5c-1786-11e5-8b94-ff2699a628d1.html
April 10, 2015
Former Kyoto Hannaryz standout Jermaine Boyette was inducted into the Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame in February. He is now an assistant coach at his former high school
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/hammond-s-jermaine-boyette-inducted-into-weber-state-hall-of/article_698f1064-0fc5-52e2-8077-686e26ac9fc7.html
April 2, 2015
A story on Iwate Big Bulls star Scootie Randall overcoming a serious injury while at Temple University and the mental and physical challenges he dealt with at that time.
http://www.athletesbounceback.com/#!Family-Ties-and-Recovery-Meet-Scootie-Randall/c137b/9C3C563F-F137-401A-9281-5C7F1AF7CD28
March 30, 2015
An in-depth interview with former Oita HeatDevils forward Justin Allen about his life after pro basketball, his children's book, basketball camps, speaking engagements, etc. -- perhaps best summed up by the story's headline: "Malta grad Allen uses cancer win, love of basketball to teach others to follow their passion."
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2015/03/29/malta-grad-allen-uses-cancer-win-love-of-basketball-to-teach-others-to-follow-their-passion/aqtr95q/?page=1
March 28, 2015
Commentary from Dublin about the bj-league's ban on The Japan Times being lifted.
http://www.businesspost.ie/?fb_ref=Default#!story/Home/News/SPORTS+COLUMN%3A+Perseverance+makes+the+difference/id/51491701-9455-155f-cce6-19f055208507
March 23, 2015
Former Toyama star Ira Brown, who now plays for the NBL's Hitachi Sunrockers squad, is featured in this article for The Spokesman-Review.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/dec/18/former-zags-josh-heytvelt-ira-brown-reunite-in/
March 21, 2015
Former Akita guard Mychal Kearse is featured in this recent Wall Street Journal piece about pro basketball in Iraq.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/iraq-basketball-is-a-far-cry-from-march-madness-but-its-not-all-bad-1426550854
Former Osaka and Oita star Matt Lottich is an assistant coach for Valparaiso, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in 11 years. SB Nation examines the team.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/3/11/8187337/valparaiso-horizon-league-championship-green-bay
March 2, 2015
Catching up with former Akita standout Will Graves in this story from wralsportsfan.com in North Carolina.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/graves-getting-life-back-on-track-keeping-nba-dreams-alive/14442551/
Jan. 9, 2015
Feature story on Sendai 89ers guard Kejuan Johnson from the Grunion Gazette, a Long Beach, California, newspaper.
http://www.gazettes.com/sports/lbsu/feature-long-beach-state-s-kejuan-johnson-a-hoops-star/article_1c600190-9576-11e4-84a5-f382eb0c11b8.html
Dec. 10, 2014
Feature story on Oita HeatDevils big man Todd O'Brien from the LancasterOnline, the website of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, newspaper.
http://lancasteronline.com/sports/life-as-a--footer-in-japan-i-hit-my/article_4d1ce77c-7d97-11e4-b344-872c80a4388b.html
Dec. 9, 2014
A look at FIBA's suspension of the Japan Basketball Association and mind-numbing impasse between the NBL and the bj-league.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001777348
Nov. 9, 2014
The Virginian-Pilot's Ed Miller wrote this feature on current Shiga Lakestars standout Terrance Woodbury while he played on the University of Georgia's NCAA tournament team in 2008.
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/03/georgias-terrance-woodbury-toiling-his-father
Oct. 29, 2014
A look ahead to the new season for new Southern Utah women's basketball coach Chris Boettcher, who guided the Shiga Lakestars last season.
http://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports/college/southern-utah/2014/10/28/southern-utah-womens-basketball-hoping-continue-success/18097787/
Oct. 16, 2014
A feature on Osaka Evessa forward Gary Hamilton and his basketball-playing brothers.
http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball-blog/hc-jorden-hamilton-daniel-hamilton-uconn-huskies-raptors-story.html
Oct. 8, 2014
A revealing portrait of Aomori Wat's forward Damian Saunders, when he was in the NBA Development League last season.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/delaware/inside_the_locker_room_damian_2014_03_17.html
Oct. 1, 2014
A story earlier this year on the basketball career of former Sendai 89ers standout Mac Hopson, who has found his niche playing pro ball in Argentina since his departure from Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
http://www.csnnw.com/ncaa/former-jefferson-star-mac-hopson-thriving-argentina
August 21, 2014
A recent feature on ex-Saitama Broncos forward John Flowers (2010-11 in Japan) about his career at this stage. Flowers is entering his third season in France, first in the ProA circuit.
http://www.somdnews.com/article/20140820/SPORTS/140829839/1046/waldorf-native-flowers-ready-to-bloom-in-france&template=southernMaryland
August 3, 2014
A few more published items on former Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase about her work with the Los Angeles Clippers' Summer League team and her future aspirations.
http://www.npr.org/2014/08/02/337359843/coaching-the-big-leagues-natalie-nakase-makes-nba-history
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/11289062/espnw-natalie-nakase-breaks-new-ground-nba-assistant-coach
July 23, 2014
Lengthy feature in The New York Times on former Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase, who served as a Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach during the NBA's Las Vegas Summer League, which wrapped up on Monday. Nakase's ambition to be a coach in the NBA is detailed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/sports/basketball/clippers8217-nakase-aspires-to-be-nba8217s-first-female-head-coach.html?ref=basketball&_r=0
June 16, 2014
An interview with former Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill about his departure from the San Antonio Spurs -- and the man who fired him, Gregg Popovich -- leads off this week's Sunday Basketball Notes by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/06/15/sunhoop/StEUzzBfkmDJYcqWcOAcuL/story.html
June 13, 2014
A Father's Day-themed column on former Oita HeatDevils forward Justin Allen on The Arizona Republic website. The column looks back at how overcoming cancer changed Allen's outlook on life.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2014/06/12/ex-asu-basketball-player-allen-beat-cancer-big-way/10358801/
May 19, 2014
Former Osaka Evessa and Kyoto Hannaryz standout Rick Rickert, now playing for the NBL's Wakayama Trians, is briefly mentioned in this column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Rickert played college ball at the University of Minnesota.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_25785085/charley-walters-twins-are-beating-expectations-team-president
Rizing Fukuoka forward Reggie Warren's strong season was recognized by the University of West Florida's athletics department in this recent news report. Warren attended UWF.
http://goargos.com/article.asp?articleID=7622
March 14, 2014
Toyama Grouses big man Sam Willard, the bj-league's No.2 rebounder at the time of this entry (12.8 per game), was featured in his hometown newspaper, Capital Journal, in South Dakota. The story does a nice job of highlighting Willard's career up to this point and giving him a chance to share his perspectives on different challenges he's faced as a pro player in Japan.
http://www.capjournal.com/sports/pierre-s-top-basketball-export-willard-finds-great-success-playing/article_a51c4d30-aa6d-11e3-b18d-001a4bcf887a.html
March 13, 2014
Former Tokyo Apache assistant coach and current Santa Cruz Warriors head coach Casey Hill, son of longtime NBA coach Bob Hill (former Tokyo Apache bench boss), is featured in this article, examining his maturating and development as a coach in the NBA Development League.
http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2014/3/11/5495310/casey-hill-keeps-winning-in-prospective-while-making-impact-on-nbadl-level
March 10, 2014
Here's last year's news story on the hiring of assistant coach Matt Lottich, former star guard for Osaka Evessa and Oita HeatDevils, for Valparaiso.
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/drew-fills-out-valparaiso-coaching-staff-as-matt-lottich-tabbed/article_983ec836-c9d4-5201-b97c-a05e4ac81303.html
In the spring of 2006, then-Tokyo Apache coach Joe Bryant speaks about the upstart league and his views on the sport's future in Japan.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2006/04/29/sports/bryant-thinking-long-term/#.UxyFqj_V-zU
March 6, 2014
Here's a podcast interview with ex-Osaka Evessa head coach Bill Cartwright, discussing his NBA playing and coaching career, work in Japan (last season, 17 wins, 11 losses) and current projects.
http://inallairness.com/air043-bill-cartwright-all-american-all-star-and-nba-champion-podcast/#sthash.hVPEcmEu.dpbs
Catching up with former Rizing Fukuoka head coach John Neumann, who has returned to the University of Mississippi as a student more than 40 years after starring at Ole Miss and leading the NCAA in scoring in 1970-71 (an astonishing 40.1 points per game).
http://hottytoddy.com/2013/11/13/johnny-neumanns-basketball-life-takes-a-new-direction-back-at-ole-miss/
http://mag.newsweek.com/2014/01/24/hello-neumann.html
An analysis of many problems and issues that face Japan basketball.
http://apgsports.com/2014/01/30/basketball-japan-directionless-mess-fans-stars-oh-plenty-teams/
February 4, 2014
Here's a story I came across on Chas McFarland, the Akita Northern Happinets center, from his college days at Wake Forest.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3821989
Dec. 19, 2013
Flashback - a February 2011 feature on then-Hamamatsu star Jeff Parmer from his hometown Niagara Falls, New York, newspaper.
http://www.niagara-gazette.com/sports/x2016390406/An-All-Star-on-the-other-side-of-the-world
Nov. 6, 2013
Yokohama B-Corsairs shooting guard Omar Reed is featured in these two profile pieces.
http://www.menafn.com/6a956438-b13f-430f-b0de-b19316ea6501/Reed-balling-in-Yokohama-Japan?src=main
http://www.tricities.com/sports/article_f7b57ac0-99a8-11e2-8892-001a4bcf6878.html
Nov. 1, 2013
Bill Cartwright, the ex-Osaka Evessa and Chicago Bulls head coach, is featured in an interview with NPR's "Only A Game." The link below provides the audio and text transcript of that interview.
http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2013/09/21/bill-cartwright-japanese-basketball
Oct. 10, 2013
Small feature on Omar Reed of the Yokohama B-Corsairs. The shooting guard, a former NBA Development League player, attended Bluefield (West Virginia) College, and this article appears in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph as he looks ahead to the coming season.
http://bdtonline.com/localsports/x703134798/Reed-balling-in-Yokohama-Japan
Posted on Sept. 29, 2013
Bill Cartwright, the former Chicago Bulls and Osaka Evessa head coach, reflects on his experiences in Japan, coaching the Evessa for 28 games last season in a story for SI.com.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130913/bill-cartwright-coaching-in-japan-osaka-evessa/index.html
Posted on Sept. 3, 2013
Q&A with new Santa Cruz Warriors head coach Casey Hill. He was an assistant coach for the now-defunct Tokyo Apache in 2010-11, working under his father, well-traveled NBA head coach Bob Hill.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/casey_hill_qa_2013_08_27.html
Posted on Aug 9, 2013
Column on Justin Allen, a former Oita HeatDevils and Arizona State Sun Devils basketball forward, on his positive outlook on life and current projects.
http://www.cbssports.com/general/blog/gregg-doyel/23067240/exsun-devil-justin-allen-beats-cancer-now-has-goals-for-others
Posted on Aug. 9, 2013
Feature on Kyoto Hannaryz forward Joe Werner in his hometown newspaper in Wisconsin. (Glad I was able to play a very minor role in helping the story get done.)
http://chippewa.com/sports/chippewa-falls-native-werner-prepares-for-second-season-of-pro/article_a819e210-ffc1-11e2-9045-001a4bcf887a.html
Posted on July 24, 2013
Story on Akita's Sam Green Jr. and former bj-league player Jo Kurino, who has played in the JBL for the past several years. Both men's fathers served in the U.S. military while stationed in Japan. Greene and Kurino were involved in a basketball clinic earlier this month in Yokosuka, which is featured in this story.
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/110444/japanese-basketball-players-conduct-clinic-local-youth#.Ue_AbdLwlOI
Posted on June 26, 2013
Inside The Hall, a website specializing in sports coverage of Indiana University, spoke to Oita HeatDevils guard and Hoosiers alum Verdell Jones III after the bj-league regular season ended.
http://www.insidethehall.com/2013/05/10/verdell-jones-iii-still-chasing-his-professional-dream/
Posted on May 26, 2013
Fox Sports Arizona's website features a look at Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary's title-winning season in Japan and includes comments from him via email. Veteran basketball scribe Steve Rivera, who has reported on Geary's career for two decades, has keen insight on his life in sports.
http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/collegebasketball/arizona-wildcats/story/Former-UA-star-Geary-finds-coaching-succ?blockID=905189&feedID=3702
Posted on May 21, 2013
The Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, where Yokohama B-Corsairs Reggie Geary starred for the University of Arizona before a pro career, featured information on the B-Corsairs' championship in today's Wildcats basketball blog.
http://azstarnet.com/sports/blogs/pascoe/ex-wildcat-geary-leads-japanese-team-to-championship/article_b73c80a0-c172-11e2-8f79-001a4bcf887a.html
Posted on April 26, 2013
The Santa Cruz Sentinel puts the spotlight on ex-Tokyo Apache player Jeremy Tyler, who has helped lead the Santa Cruz Warriors to the NBA Development League finals.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_23102069/d-league-basketball-santa-cruz-center-jeremy-tyler
Posted on April 18, 2013
ChicagoSideSports.com had this small reaction to the AP story on Bill Cartwright posted below on its website.
http://chicagosidesports.com/quick-hits/5-things-to-love-about-bill-cartwright-coaching-basketball-in-japan/
Posted on April 17, 2013
FIBA Asia featured the following short interview with former Oita HeatDevils head coach Brian Rowsom, who coaches in Qatar these days, on its website recently.
http://www.fibaasia.net/InterviewDetails.aspx?id=292
Japan-based Associated Press sports writer Jim Armstrong filed this story -- which received global exposure - on Osaka Evessa head coach Bill Cartwright. This version appeared in The New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/sports/basketball/in-japan-bill-cartwright-speaks-the-language-of-winning.html?ref=basketball
Former Tokyo Apache coach Joe Bryant, now a coach in Thailand, gives his perspective on the Thai basketball scene for the ASEAN Basketball League website.
http://www.aseanbasketballleague.com/news/detail/7236/joe-bryant-all-the-local-players-have-been-great-this-season-
Posted on March 19, 2013
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper takes a look at the improvements made since Bill Cartwright took over as the Osaka Evessa head coach.
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/03/18/cartwrights-successful-start-in-japan/6
Posted on Feb. 28, 2013
A podcast with former Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill, who discusses the many stops along the way in his coaching career (college, NBA, Japan, Europe).
http://inallairness.com/air014-bob-hill/
Update on ex-Apache center Robert Swift, who could face serious legal issues in the coming days.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/robert-swift-refusing-abandon-bullet-ridden-beer-strewn-170507711--nba.html
Story on former Yokohama B-Corsairs power forward Justin Burrell, the 2011-12 bj-league MVP from December.
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/colleges/post/_/id/5060/catching-up-with-justin-burrell
Posted on Feb. 2, 2013
A look at new Ryukyu Golden Kings player Ryuichi Kishimoto on the Japan Update website from Okinawa.
http://www.japanupdate.com/2013/02/ryukyu-golden-kings-sign-ryuichi-kishimoto-as-rookie/
Feature story on Bill Cartwright, the Osaka Evessa head coach, during his rookie season in the NBA, written by Sports Illustrated's Roy S. Johnson for the March 17, 1980, issue.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123280/index.htm
Posted on Jan. 30, 2013
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame writer Sam Smith included an item on former Chicago Bulls player, assistant coach and head coach Bill Cartwright, the new Osaka Evessa head coach, in his weekly notebook.
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_130128.html
Small news item on Cartwright, who hails from Elk Grove, California, from the Sacramento Observer.
http://sacobserver.com/2013/01/former-el-grove-nba-standout-bill-cartwright-hired-to-coach-japans-osaka-evessa/
Yokohama B-Corsairs head coach Reggie Geary's comments in The Japan Times about his remembrances of All-Star festivities back in his NBA rookie season are included in the Tucson Citizen's Wildcat Report.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/wildcatreport/2013/01/21/arizona-basketball-notes-kevin-parroms-take-charge-moment/
Posted on Jan. 15, 2013
Presenting a few stories on Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, the former LSU, NBA and Kyoto Hannaryz guard, from Mississippi media. Abdul-Rauf was honored last month for his career achievements.
http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=20462084
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/12/28/4378932/abdul-rauf-looks-back-with-pride.html
http://www.wlox.com/story/20462607/former-gulfport-teammate-talks-about-abdul-raufs-great-talents
Posted on Nov. 20, 2012
Former NBA player and ex-Oita HeatDevils coach Brian Rowsom speaks about his current team and the Qatar League in a recent interview.
http://www.fibaasia.net/InterviewDetails.aspx?id=271
Posted on Nov. 2, 2012
Small intro-to-Tokyo-area teams primer in the free magazine Metropolis.
http://metropolis.co.jp/arts/sport/kanto-hoops/
Posted on Nov. 1, 2012
Feature story on former Tokyo Apache player Jeremy Tyler, now in his second season with the Golden State Warriors
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/39675/jeremy-tyler-no-longer-a-symbol-now-just-a-pro
The way it was "supposed to be," when formation of the league was announced in 2004.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200411/25/eng20041125_165075.html
Digging through the archives: Feature on former Hamamatsu center Sun Ming Ming before his time in Japan.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/03/planetary-pillar-post/
How not to go out of business -- Oita HeatDevils style:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2011-06-18-2326520980_x.htm
A look at Yokohama coach Reggie Geary's former stomping grounds as a player and coach, the University so Arizona, and those he worked with as a coach there.
Posted on Oct. 26, 2012
Update on former Niigata Albirex BB forward Bennet Davis' career. He's moved on to the Hungarian League.
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2012/oct/05/Davis_signs/
Posted on Oct. 26, 2012
Brief mention of Toyama Grouses forward Malcolm White, who attended LSU.
http://www.lsureveille.com/sports/men_basketball/article_c7127b9c-1cd1-11e2-967d-001a4bcf6878.html
Posted on Oct. 19, 2012
An in-depth look at former Tokyo Apache assistant coach and Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase's passion for basketball and current job working for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN.com e-ticket feature.
http://espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=nakase
Posted on Sept. 1, 2012
Column in the Chicago Tribune on new Sendai 89ers player Kevin Coble.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/greenstein/ct-spt-0901-northwestern-basketball--20120901,0,6734702.column
Posted on Aug. 18, 2012
Catching up with ... Forward Justin Burrell, the MVP of the 2011-12 season who led the Yokohama B-Corsairs to the Final Four.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/more_sports/big_year_continues_for_burrell_after_MP4V0QuYZiM1GLLstreZ2N?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=More%20High%20School%20Sports
Posted on July 15, 2012
Nice feature on Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary by a longtime Pac-10 hoop writer, Javier Morales, who met up with Geary in Las Vegas during the NBA Summer League.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/wildaboutazcats/2012/07/13/reggie-geary-in-gear-toward-successful-coaching-career-anywhere-at-any-level/
Posted on July 4, 2012
A short Q&A feature I wrote up for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, where Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary played college ball and served two stints as an assistant coach for the Wildcats.
http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/college/wildcats/top-coach-reggie-geary-helps-japan-grow-basketball/article_3b8e4410-105c-5622-b951-af111e860524.html
Posted on June 4, 2012
A January 2011 feature on the Rizing Fukuoka and the league. Keen insight on the bj-league and the JBL and their differences from a star player (Michael Parker), and commentary on the sport's growth as a whole. Very insightful.
http://fukuoka-now.com/feature/baseball-and-sumo-arent-the-only-games-in-town-basketball-is-rizing-2/
Posted on May 26, 2012
Feature on Ryukyu Golden Kings guard Narito Namizato on the back page of The Daily Yomiuri.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/T120525004837.htm
Posted on May 8, 2012
News story on Yokohama B-Corsairs forward Justin Burrell after he was named the 2011-12 regular-season MVP.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120508/SPORTS/205080317
Posted on April 20, 2012
Insightful interview with Kyoto Hannaryz center Lance Allred, a former NBA player.
http://www.deafathletejapan.net/041lance-usa.html
Posted on March 13, 2012
Feature on Chiba Jets coach Eric Gardow
http://www.heinnews.com/one-on-one/one-on-one-chiba-jets-japanese-bj-league-head-coach-eric-gardow/
My feature on Morris Morioka, who finished his cross-country dribbling/walking odyssey on Jan. 29 before the Sendai 89ers home game.
http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/international/2012/03/qa-hiroshi-morioka/
Posted on Feb. 27, 2012
http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/American-1st-female-coach-in-men-s-league-in-Japan-3346155.php
Posted on Feb. 21, 2012
Feature on Saitama Broncos coach Natalie Nakase in the L.A. Times
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0218-natalie-nakase-20120218,0,2681146.story
Similar story by The Associated Press:
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15818/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=6oSK9GgQ
Posted on Feb. 16, 2012
Learn about Oita HeatDevils center Taj Finger's hoop camp and his career to date.
http://www.thedailycortlandt.com/schools/taj-finger-bedford-launches-basketball-camp
Posted on Jan. 26, 2012
Good publicity for John "Helicopter" Humphrey.
http://and1ph.blogspot.com/2012/01/john-helicopter-humphrey-wins-bj-league.html
Nice feature on Shiga Lakestars coach Al Westover.
http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/2012/january/westovers-game-plan-not-lost-in-translation/
Posted on Jan. 25, 2012
Here's a look at Senadi 89ers forward Dan Fitzgerald's blog.
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2012/01/all-star-weekend.html
Posted on Jan. 24, 2012
Update on ex-Oita HeatDevil Damian Johnson, now in the NBA Development League.
http://www.mndaily.com/2012/01/24/transition-damian-johnson
The Asahi Shimbun's English edition writes, "A young basketball fan is currently bouncing his way from Tokyo to disaster-stricken Miyagi Prefecture to raise money for quake-hit regions."
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201201210252.html
Ryukyu Golden Kings asst. coach Keith Richardson get a little publicity in this report from Stars & Stripes.
http://www.stripes.com/blogs/pacificsports-blog/pacific-sportsblog-1.8947/things-learned-observed-in-pacific-high-school-basketball-week-9-0-1-1.166450
(Posted on Jan. 8, 2012)
Another update on ex-Oita HeatDevil Damian Johnson.
http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/springfield_armor_acquire_dami.html
John Flowers of the Saitama Broncos, who has been sidelined with an injury in recent weeks, returns to his alma mater West Viriginia's media spotlight for the Bob Huggins Show. Details here:
http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/16467463/preview-of-the-bob-huggins-show
(Posted on Dec. 21, 2011)
Solid feature on Reggie Geary, Yokohama B-Corsairs coach. The story, though screams out for some details about the team's players, especially its Japanese players.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20111221p2g00m0sp119000c.html
Former Shiga Lakestars forward Luke Zeller is highlighted in this online article. Zeller is in San Antonio Spurs camp only days away from the NBA season's start.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/sports/2011-12-18/toros-bulls-eye/
(Posted on Dec. 5, 2011)
Insight into why the JBL, bj-league and JBL remain stuck in mind-numbing impasse regarding the sport's future here in Japan.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sports/topics/AJ201112010061c
(Posted on Nov. 30, 2011)
A look at the Ryukyu Golden Kings by Japan Update.
http://japanupdate.ti-da.net/e3671266.html
(Posted on Nov. 27, 2011)
News on Natalie Nakase taking over as head coach of the Saitama Broncos.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/11/former-ucla-point-guard-natalie-nakase-becomes-coach-of-professional-mens-team-in-japan.html
(Posted on Nov, 12, 2011)
Catching up with Isaac Sojourner, one of the most passionate individuals about Japanese basketball I've ever met. Nice feature on SLAM Online, including some poignant comments on the bj-league, the JBL and Japanese basketball in general.
http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/international/2011/11/isaac-sojourner-basketball-japan-league-ballplayers-journey/
(Posted on Nov. 7, 2011)
Story on former Niigata Albirex BB standout Willie Veasley in his hometown paper in Indiana after being picked up in the NBA Development League draft.
http://www.journalstandard.com/sports/x669413062/Veasley-West-selected-in-D-League-draft
(Posted on Oct. 31, 2011)
Terrific story on John Neumann, former coach of the Rizing Fukuoka and Takamatsu Five Arrows and the difficulties his young daugher is having with a rare medical disorder.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/30/the-call-of-home/
St. Paul Pioneer Press includes an update on ex-Minnesota Golden Gopher Rick Rickert of the Kyoto Hannaryz in this notes column.
http://www.twincities.com/ci_19224813?source=most_viewed
(Posted on Oct. 25, 2011)
Update on forward Luke Zeller, former Shiga Lakestars standout, and his family's basketball activities:
http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/panamerican/11_mpag_zeller_feature.html
Look at what Asia-basket.com has to say about Japan, the bj-league and the NBA.
Here's the short item, not one I particularly agree with, but in its entirety:
http://www.asia-basket.com/Japan/basketball.asp?NewsID=246041
Asia Brand
"Like the NBA, the BJ league possesses the stuff to attract some of the best around what with the likes of Nick Tuggle, from Tennessee and Ronnie Childs from New York looking to sign professional contracts to light up the league. Besides these guys, the likes of Jimmy Smith from LA California, Jarrel Smith who had brief stints with the NJ Nets and Philadelphia 76ers and was invited to the John Lucas' NBA summer camp that included 2011 NBA draft picks such as, Tristan Thompson (4th overall to Cleveland Cavaliers), Markieff Morris (13th pick overall, Phoenix Suns), Marcus Morris (14th pick overall, Houston Rockets.), Tobias Harris (19th overall pick, Charlotte Bobcats) and Cory Joseph (29th overall pick, San Antonio Spurs), Joe Webb, Jason Jackson and Carlos English all look forward to playing in Japan. No doubt, it'd be great to watch these great talents from diverse backgrounds add colour to the BJ league.
Like the beautiful bride whom every eligible groom wants to take down the aisle, the BJ league has been considered by such great coaches as Henrique Oliveira who's won everything there is to win as a Coach with Benfica in Portugal and Kerry Kirby who's won the confidence of several experts in the game."
(Posted on Oct. 18, 2011)
http://world-sports-today.blogspot.com/2011/10/toshihiro-nakatsuka-japanese-basketball.html
(Posted on Oct. 10, 2011)
An update on former Oita HeatDevils coach L.J. Hepp is included in this column. http://www.carynews.com/2011/08/24/42264/kooistra-makes-start-for-vikings.html
(Posted on Oct. 9, 2011)
Feature on the Sendai 89ers
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201110080253.html
(Posted on Oct. 8, 2011)
Willie Veasley update
http://www.journalstandard.com/sports/nuic/x824882438/Veasley-joins-minor-league-Predators
Points to ponder and a forum to join the discussion on the JBL and the bj-league.
http://forums.interbasket.net/f24/jbl-bj-league-2011-2012-season-16734/
****
Here are a few recent items (Links posted on Sept. 28, 2011):
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110927p2a00m0na019000c.html
http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/5004/Sayonara-Center-Gai
http://dailytrojan.com/2011/09/27/ex-trojans-to-play-professionally-overseas/
http://www.asia-basket.com/Japan/basketball.asp?NewsID=242449
http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/college/wildcats/article_eefd0239-b591-5734-ad01-8265f2de7f13.html
http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082611aaa.html
http://gofalconsports.com/article.asp?articleID=2432
http://www.asiabasketballupdate.com/1/post/2011/08/lance-allred-to-join-kyoto-hannaryz.html
http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/basketball/ballarat-miners-lose-import-harris/2278233.aspx
http://rafu.com/news/2011/07/tokyo-apache-stuns-bj-league-by-announcing-its-withdrawal/
http://www.asiabasketballupdate.com/1/post/2011/6/will-graves-bj-league-veteran-nba-prospect.html
http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2011/03/23/will-graves-i-really-never-considered-leaving-japan/
Updated on ....
June 24, 2015
One I missed when it was published last October: A feature on former Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase, who's now working as an assistant video coordinator for the Los Angeles Clippers, in the Pacific Citizen, the national newspaper of the Japanese American Citizen Leaue (JACL).
http://www.pacificcitizen.org/natalie-nakase-paves-her-own-path-on-and-off-the-court/
Longtime bj-league star John "Helicopter" Humphrey is the subject of this feature from the Carteret County (North Carolina) News-Times.
http://www.carolinacoastonline.com/news_times/sports/article_91337d5c-1786-11e5-8b94-ff2699a628d1.html
April 10, 2015
Former Kyoto Hannaryz standout Jermaine Boyette was inducted into the Weber State Athletics Hall of Fame in February. He is now an assistant coach at his former high school
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/basketball/college/hammond-s-jermaine-boyette-inducted-into-weber-state-hall-of/article_698f1064-0fc5-52e2-8077-686e26ac9fc7.html
April 2, 2015
A story on Iwate Big Bulls star Scootie Randall overcoming a serious injury while at Temple University and the mental and physical challenges he dealt with at that time.
http://www.athletesbounceback.com/#!Family-Ties-and-Recovery-Meet-Scootie-Randall/c137b/9C3C563F-F137-401A-9281-5C7F1AF7CD28
March 30, 2015
An in-depth interview with former Oita HeatDevils forward Justin Allen about his life after pro basketball, his children's book, basketball camps, speaking engagements, etc. -- perhaps best summed up by the story's headline: "Malta grad Allen uses cancer win, love of basketball to teach others to follow their passion."
http://www.daily-chronicle.com/2015/03/29/malta-grad-allen-uses-cancer-win-love-of-basketball-to-teach-others-to-follow-their-passion/aqtr95q/?page=1
March 28, 2015
Commentary from Dublin about the bj-league's ban on The Japan Times being lifted.
http://www.businesspost.ie/?fb_ref=Default#!story/Home/News/SPORTS+COLUMN%3A+Perseverance+makes+the+difference/id/51491701-9455-155f-cce6-19f055208507
March 23, 2015
Former Toyama star Ira Brown, who now plays for the NBL's Hitachi Sunrockers squad, is featured in this article for The Spokesman-Review.
http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/dec/18/former-zags-josh-heytvelt-ira-brown-reunite-in/
March 21, 2015
Former Akita guard Mychal Kearse is featured in this recent Wall Street Journal piece about pro basketball in Iraq.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/iraq-basketball-is-a-far-cry-from-march-madness-but-its-not-all-bad-1426550854
Former Osaka and Oita star Matt Lottich is an assistant coach for Valparaiso, which advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in 11 years. SB Nation examines the team.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-basketball/2015/3/11/8187337/valparaiso-horizon-league-championship-green-bay
March 2, 2015
Catching up with former Akita standout Will Graves in this story from wralsportsfan.com in North Carolina.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/graves-getting-life-back-on-track-keeping-nba-dreams-alive/14442551/
Jan. 9, 2015
Feature story on Sendai 89ers guard Kejuan Johnson from the Grunion Gazette, a Long Beach, California, newspaper.
http://www.gazettes.com/sports/lbsu/feature-long-beach-state-s-kejuan-johnson-a-hoops-star/article_1c600190-9576-11e4-84a5-f382eb0c11b8.html
Dec. 10, 2014
Feature story on Oita HeatDevils big man Todd O'Brien from the LancasterOnline, the website of the Lancaster, Pennsylvania, newspaper.
http://lancasteronline.com/sports/life-as-a--footer-in-japan-i-hit-my/article_4d1ce77c-7d97-11e4-b344-872c80a4388b.html
Dec. 9, 2014
A look at FIBA's suspension of the Japan Basketball Association and mind-numbing impasse between the NBL and the bj-league.
http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001777348
Nov. 9, 2014
The Virginian-Pilot's Ed Miller wrote this feature on current Shiga Lakestars standout Terrance Woodbury while he played on the University of Georgia's NCAA tournament team in 2008.
http://hamptonroads.com/2008/03/georgias-terrance-woodbury-toiling-his-father
Oct. 29, 2014
A look ahead to the new season for new Southern Utah women's basketball coach Chris Boettcher, who guided the Shiga Lakestars last season.
http://www.thespectrum.com/story/sports/college/southern-utah/2014/10/28/southern-utah-womens-basketball-hoping-continue-success/18097787/
Oct. 16, 2014
A feature on Osaka Evessa forward Gary Hamilton and his basketball-playing brothers.
http://www.courant.com/sports/uconn-mens-basketball-blog/hc-jorden-hamilton-daniel-hamilton-uconn-huskies-raptors-story.html
Oct. 8, 2014
A revealing portrait of Aomori Wat's forward Damian Saunders, when he was in the NBA Development League last season.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/delaware/inside_the_locker_room_damian_2014_03_17.html
Oct. 1, 2014
A story earlier this year on the basketball career of former Sendai 89ers standout Mac Hopson, who has found his niche playing pro ball in Argentina since his departure from Japan after the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
http://www.csnnw.com/ncaa/former-jefferson-star-mac-hopson-thriving-argentina
August 21, 2014
A recent feature on ex-Saitama Broncos forward John Flowers (2010-11 in Japan) about his career at this stage. Flowers is entering his third season in France, first in the ProA circuit.
http://www.somdnews.com/article/20140820/SPORTS/140829839/1046/waldorf-native-flowers-ready-to-bloom-in-france&template=southernMaryland
August 3, 2014
A few more published items on former Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase about her work with the Los Angeles Clippers' Summer League team and her future aspirations.
http://www.npr.org/2014/08/02/337359843/coaching-the-big-leagues-natalie-nakase-makes-nba-history
http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/11289062/espnw-natalie-nakase-breaks-new-ground-nba-assistant-coach
July 23, 2014
Lengthy feature in The New York Times on former Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase, who served as a Los Angeles Clippers assistant coach during the NBA's Las Vegas Summer League, which wrapped up on Monday. Nakase's ambition to be a coach in the NBA is detailed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/21/sports/basketball/clippers8217-nakase-aspires-to-be-nba8217s-first-female-head-coach.html?ref=basketball&_r=0
June 16, 2014
An interview with former Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill about his departure from the San Antonio Spurs -- and the man who fired him, Gregg Popovich -- leads off this week's Sunday Basketball Notes by Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2014/06/15/sunhoop/StEUzzBfkmDJYcqWcOAcuL/story.html
June 13, 2014
A Father's Day-themed column on former Oita HeatDevils forward Justin Allen on The Arizona Republic website. The column looks back at how overcoming cancer changed Allen's outlook on life.
http://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/asu/2014/06/12/ex-asu-basketball-player-allen-beat-cancer-big-way/10358801/
May 19, 2014
Former Osaka Evessa and Kyoto Hannaryz standout Rick Rickert, now playing for the NBL's Wakayama Trians, is briefly mentioned in this column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Rickert played college ball at the University of Minnesota.
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_25785085/charley-walters-twins-are-beating-expectations-team-president
Rizing Fukuoka forward Reggie Warren's strong season was recognized by the University of West Florida's athletics department in this recent news report. Warren attended UWF.
http://goargos.com/article.asp?articleID=7622
March 14, 2014
Toyama Grouses big man Sam Willard, the bj-league's No.2 rebounder at the time of this entry (12.8 per game), was featured in his hometown newspaper, Capital Journal, in South Dakota. The story does a nice job of highlighting Willard's career up to this point and giving him a chance to share his perspectives on different challenges he's faced as a pro player in Japan.
http://www.capjournal.com/sports/pierre-s-top-basketball-export-willard-finds-great-success-playing/article_a51c4d30-aa6d-11e3-b18d-001a4bcf887a.html
March 13, 2014
Former Tokyo Apache assistant coach and current Santa Cruz Warriors head coach Casey Hill, son of longtime NBA coach Bob Hill (former Tokyo Apache bench boss), is featured in this article, examining his maturating and development as a coach in the NBA Development League.
http://www.ridiculousupside.com/2014/3/11/5495310/casey-hill-keeps-winning-in-prospective-while-making-impact-on-nbadl-level
March 10, 2014
Here's last year's news story on the hiring of assistant coach Matt Lottich, former star guard for Osaka Evessa and Oita HeatDevils, for Valparaiso.
http://www.nwitimes.com/sports/college/valparaiso-university/drew-fills-out-valparaiso-coaching-staff-as-matt-lottich-tabbed/article_983ec836-c9d4-5201-b97c-a05e4ac81303.html
In the spring of 2006, then-Tokyo Apache coach Joe Bryant speaks about the upstart league and his views on the sport's future in Japan.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2006/04/29/sports/bryant-thinking-long-term/#.UxyFqj_V-zU
March 6, 2014
Here's a podcast interview with ex-Osaka Evessa head coach Bill Cartwright, discussing his NBA playing and coaching career, work in Japan (last season, 17 wins, 11 losses) and current projects.
http://inallairness.com/air043-bill-cartwright-all-american-all-star-and-nba-champion-podcast/#sthash.hVPEcmEu.dpbs
Catching up with former Rizing Fukuoka head coach John Neumann, who has returned to the University of Mississippi as a student more than 40 years after starring at Ole Miss and leading the NCAA in scoring in 1970-71 (an astonishing 40.1 points per game).
http://hottytoddy.com/2013/11/13/johnny-neumanns-basketball-life-takes-a-new-direction-back-at-ole-miss/
http://mag.newsweek.com/2014/01/24/hello-neumann.html
An analysis of many problems and issues that face Japan basketball.
http://apgsports.com/2014/01/30/basketball-japan-directionless-mess-fans-stars-oh-plenty-teams/
February 4, 2014
Here's a story I came across on Chas McFarland, the Akita Northern Happinets center, from his college days at Wake Forest.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnmag/story?id=3821989
Dec. 19, 2013
Flashback - a February 2011 feature on then-Hamamatsu star Jeff Parmer from his hometown Niagara Falls, New York, newspaper.
http://www.niagara-gazette.com/sports/x2016390406/An-All-Star-on-the-other-side-of-the-world
Nov. 6, 2013
Yokohama B-Corsairs shooting guard Omar Reed is featured in these two profile pieces.
http://www.menafn.com/6a956438-b13f-430f-b0de-b19316ea6501/Reed-balling-in-Yokohama-Japan?src=main
http://www.tricities.com/sports/article_f7b57ac0-99a8-11e2-8892-001a4bcf6878.html
Nov. 1, 2013
Bill Cartwright, the ex-Osaka Evessa and Chicago Bulls head coach, is featured in an interview with NPR's "Only A Game." The link below provides the audio and text transcript of that interview.
http://onlyagame.wbur.org/2013/09/21/bill-cartwright-japanese-basketball
Oct. 10, 2013
Small feature on Omar Reed of the Yokohama B-Corsairs. The shooting guard, a former NBA Development League player, attended Bluefield (West Virginia) College, and this article appears in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph as he looks ahead to the coming season.
http://bdtonline.com/localsports/x703134798/Reed-balling-in-Yokohama-Japan
Posted on Sept. 29, 2013
Bill Cartwright, the former Chicago Bulls and Osaka Evessa head coach, reflects on his experiences in Japan, coaching the Evessa for 28 games last season in a story for SI.com.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/nba/news/20130913/bill-cartwright-coaching-in-japan-osaka-evessa/index.html
Posted on Sept. 3, 2013
Q&A with new Santa Cruz Warriors head coach Casey Hill. He was an assistant coach for the now-defunct Tokyo Apache in 2010-11, working under his father, well-traveled NBA head coach Bob Hill.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/news/casey_hill_qa_2013_08_27.html
Posted on Aug 9, 2013
Column on Justin Allen, a former Oita HeatDevils and Arizona State Sun Devils basketball forward, on his positive outlook on life and current projects.
http://www.cbssports.com/general/blog/gregg-doyel/23067240/exsun-devil-justin-allen-beats-cancer-now-has-goals-for-others
Posted on Aug. 9, 2013
Feature on Kyoto Hannaryz forward Joe Werner in his hometown newspaper in Wisconsin. (Glad I was able to play a very minor role in helping the story get done.)
http://chippewa.com/sports/chippewa-falls-native-werner-prepares-for-second-season-of-pro/article_a819e210-ffc1-11e2-9045-001a4bcf887a.html
Posted on July 24, 2013
Story on Akita's Sam Green Jr. and former bj-league player Jo Kurino, who has played in the JBL for the past several years. Both men's fathers served in the U.S. military while stationed in Japan. Greene and Kurino were involved in a basketball clinic earlier this month in Yokosuka, which is featured in this story.
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/110444/japanese-basketball-players-conduct-clinic-local-youth#.Ue_AbdLwlOI
Posted on June 26, 2013
Inside The Hall, a website specializing in sports coverage of Indiana University, spoke to Oita HeatDevils guard and Hoosiers alum Verdell Jones III after the bj-league regular season ended.
http://www.insidethehall.com/2013/05/10/verdell-jones-iii-still-chasing-his-professional-dream/
Posted on May 26, 2013
Fox Sports Arizona's website features a look at Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary's title-winning season in Japan and includes comments from him via email. Veteran basketball scribe Steve Rivera, who has reported on Geary's career for two decades, has keen insight on his life in sports.
http://www.foxsportsarizona.com/collegebasketball/arizona-wildcats/story/Former-UA-star-Geary-finds-coaching-succ?blockID=905189&feedID=3702
Posted on May 21, 2013
The Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, where Yokohama B-Corsairs Reggie Geary starred for the University of Arizona before a pro career, featured information on the B-Corsairs' championship in today's Wildcats basketball blog.
http://azstarnet.com/sports/blogs/pascoe/ex-wildcat-geary-leads-japanese-team-to-championship/article_b73c80a0-c172-11e2-8f79-001a4bcf887a.html
Posted on April 26, 2013
The Santa Cruz Sentinel puts the spotlight on ex-Tokyo Apache player Jeremy Tyler, who has helped lead the Santa Cruz Warriors to the NBA Development League finals.
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_23102069/d-league-basketball-santa-cruz-center-jeremy-tyler
Posted on April 18, 2013
ChicagoSideSports.com had this small reaction to the AP story on Bill Cartwright posted below on its website.
http://chicagosidesports.com/quick-hits/5-things-to-love-about-bill-cartwright-coaching-basketball-in-japan/
Posted on April 17, 2013
FIBA Asia featured the following short interview with former Oita HeatDevils head coach Brian Rowsom, who coaches in Qatar these days, on its website recently.
http://www.fibaasia.net/InterviewDetails.aspx?id=292
Japan-based Associated Press sports writer Jim Armstrong filed this story -- which received global exposure - on Osaka Evessa head coach Bill Cartwright. This version appeared in The New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/sports/basketball/in-japan-bill-cartwright-speaks-the-language-of-winning.html?ref=basketball
Former Tokyo Apache coach Joe Bryant, now a coach in Thailand, gives his perspective on the Thai basketball scene for the ASEAN Basketball League website.
http://www.aseanbasketballleague.com/news/detail/7236/joe-bryant-all-the-local-players-have-been-great-this-season-
Posted on March 19, 2013
NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper takes a look at the improvements made since Bill Cartwright took over as the Osaka Evessa head coach.
http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2013/03/18/cartwrights-successful-start-in-japan/6
Posted on Feb. 28, 2013
A podcast with former Tokyo Apache coach Bob Hill, who discusses the many stops along the way in his coaching career (college, NBA, Japan, Europe).
http://inallairness.com/air014-bob-hill/
Update on ex-Apache center Robert Swift, who could face serious legal issues in the coming days.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nba-ball-dont-lie/robert-swift-refusing-abandon-bullet-ridden-beer-strewn-170507711--nba.html
Story on former Yokohama B-Corsairs power forward Justin Burrell, the 2011-12 bj-league MVP from December.
http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/colleges/post/_/id/5060/catching-up-with-justin-burrell
Posted on Feb. 2, 2013
A look at new Ryukyu Golden Kings player Ryuichi Kishimoto on the Japan Update website from Okinawa.
http://www.japanupdate.com/2013/02/ryukyu-golden-kings-sign-ryuichi-kishimoto-as-rookie/
Feature story on Bill Cartwright, the Osaka Evessa head coach, during his rookie season in the NBA, written by Sports Illustrated's Roy S. Johnson for the March 17, 1980, issue.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1123280/index.htm
Posted on Jan. 30, 2013
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame writer Sam Smith included an item on former Chicago Bulls player, assistant coach and head coach Bill Cartwright, the new Osaka Evessa head coach, in his weekly notebook.
http://www.nba.com/bulls/news/smith_130128.html
Small news item on Cartwright, who hails from Elk Grove, California, from the Sacramento Observer.
http://sacobserver.com/2013/01/former-el-grove-nba-standout-bill-cartwright-hired-to-coach-japans-osaka-evessa/
Yokohama B-Corsairs head coach Reggie Geary's comments in The Japan Times about his remembrances of All-Star festivities back in his NBA rookie season are included in the Tucson Citizen's Wildcat Report.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/wildcatreport/2013/01/21/arizona-basketball-notes-kevin-parroms-take-charge-moment/
Posted on Jan. 15, 2013
Presenting a few stories on Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, the former LSU, NBA and Kyoto Hannaryz guard, from Mississippi media. Abdul-Rauf was honored last month for his career achievements.
http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=20462084
http://www.sunherald.com/2012/12/28/4378932/abdul-rauf-looks-back-with-pride.html
http://www.wlox.com/story/20462607/former-gulfport-teammate-talks-about-abdul-raufs-great-talents
Posted on Nov. 20, 2012
Former NBA player and ex-Oita HeatDevils coach Brian Rowsom speaks about his current team and the Qatar League in a recent interview.
http://www.fibaasia.net/InterviewDetails.aspx?id=271
Posted on Nov. 2, 2012
Small intro-to-Tokyo-area teams primer in the free magazine Metropolis.
http://metropolis.co.jp/arts/sport/kanto-hoops/
Posted on Nov. 1, 2012
Feature story on former Tokyo Apache player Jeremy Tyler, now in his second season with the Golden State Warriors
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/39675/jeremy-tyler-no-longer-a-symbol-now-just-a-pro
The way it was "supposed to be," when formation of the league was announced in 2004.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200411/25/eng20041125_165075.html
Digging through the archives: Feature on former Hamamatsu center Sun Ming Ming before his time in Japan.
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/03/planetary-pillar-post/
How not to go out of business -- Oita HeatDevils style:
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2011-06-18-2326520980_x.htm
A look at Yokohama coach Reggie Geary's former stomping grounds as a player and coach, the University so Arizona, and those he worked with as a coach there.
Posted on Oct. 26, 2012
Update on former Niigata Albirex BB forward Bennet Davis' career. He's moved on to the Hungarian League.
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2012/oct/05/Davis_signs/
Posted on Oct. 26, 2012
Brief mention of Toyama Grouses forward Malcolm White, who attended LSU.
http://www.lsureveille.com/sports/men_basketball/article_c7127b9c-1cd1-11e2-967d-001a4bcf6878.html
Posted on Oct. 19, 2012
An in-depth look at former Tokyo Apache assistant coach and Saitama Broncos head coach Natalie Nakase's passion for basketball and current job working for the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers.
ESPN.com e-ticket feature.
http://espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=nakase
Posted on Sept. 1, 2012
Column in the Chicago Tribune on new Sendai 89ers player Kevin Coble.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/greenstein/ct-spt-0901-northwestern-basketball--20120901,0,6734702.column
Posted on Aug. 18, 2012
Catching up with ... Forward Justin Burrell, the MVP of the 2011-12 season who led the Yokohama B-Corsairs to the Final Four.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/high_school/more_sports/big_year_continues_for_burrell_after_MP4V0QuYZiM1GLLstreZ2N?utm_medium=rss&utm_content=More%20High%20School%20Sports
Posted on July 15, 2012
Nice feature on Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary by a longtime Pac-10 hoop writer, Javier Morales, who met up with Geary in Las Vegas during the NBA Summer League.
http://tucsoncitizen.com/wildaboutazcats/2012/07/13/reggie-geary-in-gear-toward-successful-coaching-career-anywhere-at-any-level/
Posted on July 4, 2012
A short Q&A feature I wrote up for the Arizona Daily Star in Tucson, where Yokohama B-Corsairs coach Reggie Geary played college ball and served two stints as an assistant coach for the Wildcats.
http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/college/wildcats/top-coach-reggie-geary-helps-japan-grow-basketball/article_3b8e4410-105c-5622-b951-af111e860524.html
Posted on June 4, 2012
A January 2011 feature on the Rizing Fukuoka and the league. Keen insight on the bj-league and the JBL and their differences from a star player (Michael Parker), and commentary on the sport's growth as a whole. Very insightful.
http://fukuoka-now.com/feature/baseball-and-sumo-arent-the-only-games-in-town-basketball-is-rizing-2/
Posted on May 26, 2012
Feature on Ryukyu Golden Kings guard Narito Namizato on the back page of The Daily Yomiuri.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/sports/T120525004837.htm
Posted on May 8, 2012
News story on Yokohama B-Corsairs forward Justin Burrell after he was named the 2011-12 regular-season MVP.
http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120508/SPORTS/205080317
Posted on April 20, 2012
Insightful interview with Kyoto Hannaryz center Lance Allred, a former NBA player.
http://www.deafathletejapan.net/041lance-usa.html
Posted on March 13, 2012
Feature on Chiba Jets coach Eric Gardow
http://www.heinnews.com/one-on-one/one-on-one-chiba-jets-japanese-bj-league-head-coach-eric-gardow/
My feature on Morris Morioka, who finished his cross-country dribbling/walking odyssey on Jan. 29 before the Sendai 89ers home game.
http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/international/2012/03/qa-hiroshi-morioka/
Posted on Feb. 27, 2012
http://www.seattlepi.com/sports/article/American-1st-female-coach-in-men-s-league-in-Japan-3346155.php
Posted on Feb. 21, 2012
Feature on Saitama Broncos coach Natalie Nakase in the L.A. Times
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-0218-natalie-nakase-20120218,0,2681146.story
Similar story by The Associated Press:
http://m.apnews.com/ap/db_15818/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=6oSK9GgQ
Posted on Feb. 16, 2012
Learn about Oita HeatDevils center Taj Finger's hoop camp and his career to date.
http://www.thedailycortlandt.com/schools/taj-finger-bedford-launches-basketball-camp
Posted on Jan. 26, 2012
Good publicity for John "Helicopter" Humphrey.
http://and1ph.blogspot.com/2012/01/john-helicopter-humphrey-wins-bj-league.html
Nice feature on Shiga Lakestars coach Al Westover.
http://www.nbl.com.au/news/article/2012/january/westovers-game-plan-not-lost-in-translation/
Posted on Jan. 25, 2012
Here's a look at Senadi 89ers forward Dan Fitzgerald's blog.
http://www.crackedsidewalks.com/2012/01/all-star-weekend.html
Posted on Jan. 24, 2012
Update on ex-Oita HeatDevil Damian Johnson, now in the NBA Development League.
http://www.mndaily.com/2012/01/24/transition-damian-johnson
The Asahi Shimbun's English edition writes, "A young basketball fan is currently bouncing his way from Tokyo to disaster-stricken Miyagi Prefecture to raise money for quake-hit regions."
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201201210252.html
Ryukyu Golden Kings asst. coach Keith Richardson get a little publicity in this report from Stars & Stripes.
http://www.stripes.com/blogs/pacificsports-blog/pacific-sportsblog-1.8947/things-learned-observed-in-pacific-high-school-basketball-week-9-0-1-1.166450
(Posted on Jan. 8, 2012)
Another update on ex-Oita HeatDevil Damian Johnson.
http://www.masslive.com/sports/index.ssf/2012/01/springfield_armor_acquire_dami.html
John Flowers of the Saitama Broncos, who has been sidelined with an injury in recent weeks, returns to his alma mater West Viriginia's media spotlight for the Bob Huggins Show. Details here:
http://www.wvillustrated.com/story/16467463/preview-of-the-bob-huggins-show
(Posted on Dec. 21, 2011)
Solid feature on Reggie Geary, Yokohama B-Corsairs coach. The story, though screams out for some details about the team's players, especially its Japanese players.
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/sports/news/20111221p2g00m0sp119000c.html
Former Shiga Lakestars forward Luke Zeller is highlighted in this online article. Zeller is in San Antonio Spurs camp only days away from the NBA season's start.
http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/sports/2011-12-18/toros-bulls-eye/
(Posted on Dec. 5, 2011)
Insight into why the JBL, bj-league and JBL remain stuck in mind-numbing impasse regarding the sport's future here in Japan.
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/sports/topics/AJ201112010061c
(Posted on Nov. 30, 2011)
A look at the Ryukyu Golden Kings by Japan Update.
http://japanupdate.ti-da.net/e3671266.html
(Posted on Nov. 27, 2011)
News on Natalie Nakase taking over as head coach of the Saitama Broncos.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/11/former-ucla-point-guard-natalie-nakase-becomes-coach-of-professional-mens-team-in-japan.html
(Posted on Nov, 12, 2011)
Catching up with Isaac Sojourner, one of the most passionate individuals about Japanese basketball I've ever met. Nice feature on SLAM Online, including some poignant comments on the bj-league, the JBL and Japanese basketball in general.
http://www.slamonline.com/online/other-ballers/international/2011/11/isaac-sojourner-basketball-japan-league-ballplayers-journey/
(Posted on Nov. 7, 2011)
Story on former Niigata Albirex BB standout Willie Veasley in his hometown paper in Indiana after being picked up in the NBA Development League draft.
http://www.journalstandard.com/sports/x669413062/Veasley-West-selected-in-D-League-draft
(Posted on Oct. 31, 2011)
Terrific story on John Neumann, former coach of the Rizing Fukuoka and Takamatsu Five Arrows and the difficulties his young daugher is having with a rare medical disorder.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/oct/30/the-call-of-home/
St. Paul Pioneer Press includes an update on ex-Minnesota Golden Gopher Rick Rickert of the Kyoto Hannaryz in this notes column.
http://www.twincities.com/ci_19224813?source=most_viewed
(Posted on Oct. 25, 2011)
Update on forward Luke Zeller, former Shiga Lakestars standout, and his family's basketball activities:
http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/panamerican/11_mpag_zeller_feature.html
Look at what Asia-basket.com has to say about Japan, the bj-league and the NBA.
Here's the short item, not one I particularly agree with, but in its entirety:
http://www.asia-basket.com/Japan/basketball.asp?NewsID=246041
Asia Brand
"Like the NBA, the BJ league possesses the stuff to attract some of the best around what with the likes of Nick Tuggle, from Tennessee and Ronnie Childs from New York looking to sign professional contracts to light up the league. Besides these guys, the likes of Jimmy Smith from LA California, Jarrel Smith who had brief stints with the NJ Nets and Philadelphia 76ers and was invited to the John Lucas' NBA summer camp that included 2011 NBA draft picks such as, Tristan Thompson (4th overall to Cleveland Cavaliers), Markieff Morris (13th pick overall, Phoenix Suns), Marcus Morris (14th pick overall, Houston Rockets.), Tobias Harris (19th overall pick, Charlotte Bobcats) and Cory Joseph (29th overall pick, San Antonio Spurs), Joe Webb, Jason Jackson and Carlos English all look forward to playing in Japan. No doubt, it'd be great to watch these great talents from diverse backgrounds add colour to the BJ league.
Like the beautiful bride whom every eligible groom wants to take down the aisle, the BJ league has been considered by such great coaches as Henrique Oliveira who's won everything there is to win as a Coach with Benfica in Portugal and Kerry Kirby who's won the confidence of several experts in the game."
(Posted on Oct. 18, 2011)
http://world-sports-today.blogspot.com/2011/10/toshihiro-nakatsuka-japanese-basketball.html
(Posted on Oct. 10, 2011)
An update on former Oita HeatDevils coach L.J. Hepp is included in this column. http://www.carynews.com/2011/08/24/42264/kooistra-makes-start-for-vikings.html
(Posted on Oct. 9, 2011)
Feature on the Sendai 89ers
http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201110080253.html
(Posted on Oct. 8, 2011)
Willie Veasley update
http://www.journalstandard.com/sports/nuic/x824882438/Veasley-joins-minor-league-Predators
Points to ponder and a forum to join the discussion on the JBL and the bj-league.
http://forums.interbasket.net/f24/jbl-bj-league-2011-2012-season-16734/
****
Here are a few recent items (Links posted on Sept. 28, 2011):
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110927p2a00m0na019000c.html
http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/feature/5004/Sayonara-Center-Gai
http://dailytrojan.com/2011/09/27/ex-trojans-to-play-professionally-overseas/
http://www.asia-basket.com/Japan/basketball.asp?NewsID=242449
http://azstarnet.com/sports/basketball/college/wildcats/article_eefd0239-b591-5734-ad01-8265f2de7f13.html
http://www.redstormsports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082611aaa.html
http://gofalconsports.com/article.asp?articleID=2432
http://www.asiabasketballupdate.com/1/post/2011/08/lance-allred-to-join-kyoto-hannaryz.html
http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/basketball/ballarat-miners-lose-import-harris/2278233.aspx
http://rafu.com/news/2011/07/tokyo-apache-stuns-bj-league-by-announcing-its-withdrawal/
http://www.asiabasketballupdate.com/1/post/2011/6/will-graves-bj-league-veteran-nba-prospect.html
http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/sierra/2011/03/23/will-graves-i-really-never-considered-leaving-japan/