We watch basketball because of them: Most spectacular players of Japan’s B.League

Feb 26, 2026 | News On Japan

Feb 26, 2026 (News On Japan) - Basketball is booming in Japan. The national team has competed in back-to-back Olympics for the first time since the 1970s.

Rui Hachimura and Yuki Kawamura play in the NBA, while the B.League has firmly established itself as one of the brightest and most commercially successful leagues in Asia. We have prepared a 1xBet review of five players from our championship who deserve special admiration.

Yuki Togashi

The point guard, just 168 centimeters tall, has become one of the league’s best players of the past decade. The 2019 MVP has been delighting Chiba Jets fans for 11 years. Yuki is incredibly fast: his sharp dribbling and ability to confuse opponents with passes that seem impossible make the Jets’ games especially exciting. Five Emperor’s Cup victories and the 2021 championship would not have been possible without him. Yuki’s play is proof that physical attributes do not decide everything in basketball.

Makoto Hiejima

If you’re craving long-range magic, keep an eye on Hiejima, the 2025 league leader in three-point percentage. A player who consistently shoots over 40% from beyond the arc fully deserves comparisons to Steph Curry. For Makoto, there’s no such thing as a bad shooting position. His recent performances have been a continuous highlight reel. B.League victories in 2022 and 2025, the Champions League Asia title, and 30 points in the tournament final prove his supreme level.

Yudai Baba

A two-time league champion with Alvark Tokyo, Baba moved to Australia in 2020, where he also won the NBL title, before returning home three years ago. His drives to the paint are almost guaranteed to end in a powerful slam dunk. Yudai’s play turned Nagasaki Velca into a Western Conference leader. Baba captained the national team at the most recent Asia Cup, played in the NBA Summer League for the New York Knicks, and seems to defy gravity.

Jarrett Culver

The arrival of such a player to the B.League became a sensation. Back in 2019, Culver was selected sixth overall in the NBA draft, played for Minnesota and Memphis, tried his hand in Atlanta, and in 2025 ended up with the Sendai 89ers.

From his very first games, he has confirmed his level: his smooth movements, flawless jump shot, and composure in decisive moments make it feel as if you’re watching a video game hero. The team’s top scorer promises to lead them to a title, and his words inspire confidence.

Josh Hawkinson

The naturalized American has become a national hero in our country. Since arriving in Japan in 2017, Josh has shown that he does not know how to give up.

Hawkinson can play both center and power forward and is capable of dominating opponents at either position. His performances during the 2024 Olympic qualification, when he scored close to 30 points several times, are unforgettable for national team fans. Fierce blocks, diving saves into the stands, and the ability to fire up the crowd – Hawkinson brings all of this to every clash.

These five names are just the tip of the iceberg. Want to know more? Follow 1xBet!

Toyota to Launch Self-Driving Taxis in 2027

Toyota Motor will begin operating fully autonomous taxis in 2027 through a partnership with U.S. self-driving technology company Waymo, marking a major step in the Japanese automaker's efforts to expand driverless transportation services.

Mount Fuji Puts on First Snowcap

Mount Fuji has received its first snowcap of the season, the Japan Meteorological Agency announced on October 30, after temperatures at the summit plunged to minus 9.4 degrees Celsius, marking the arrival of winter conditions on Japan's highest mountain.

Chinese Female Spy Suspected of Targeting Nvidia Chief

U.S. intelligence agencies suspect that a Chinese female intelligence operative developed a close relationship with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang in an attempt to obtain confidential corporate and U.S. government information, according to a report published by The New York Times on October 29th.

Japan Blocks Websites Leaking GMO Personal Data

The Japanese government has asked major telecommunications operators to forcibly block access to websites believed to contain personal information stolen in a cyberattack on GMO, it emerged on October 29th, as authorities moved to prevent further exposure of sensitive data online.

Typhoon No. 31 Heads Toward Japan's Remote Islands

Typhoon No. 31 was located near Minamitorishima Island in the Pacific Ocean, as of 3 a.m. on October 30, and was expected to approach the Ogasawara Islands south of Tokyo over the October 31-November 1 weekend while maintaining very strong intensity, bringing a growing risk of dangerously high waves, powerful swells and extremely rough seas.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

Controversial Penalty Decision Ends Tokyo High School Soccer Match

A controversial penalty shootout decision during the Tokyo qualifiers for Japan's National High School Soccer Championship on October 24 has sparked debate after a team that believed it had secured victory was forced to continue playing and eventually lost, raising questions about whether a hole in the goal net contributed to an incorrect ruling.

Japan's Pillow Wars Become Competitive Team Sport

Pillow fighting, once a familiar pastime on Japanese school trips, has evolved into a competitive team sport, with players dressed in traditional yukata competing on tatami mats under unusual rules that include a call of "The teacher is coming!" to freeze opponents for 10 seconds.

Arashifuji Earns First Promotion to Sumo's Top Division

Fukuoka-born sumo wrestler Arashifuji has earned his first promotion to the top makuuchi division ahead of the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament, which opens on November 8 at the Fukuoka International Center, according to the latest rankings released by the Japan Sumo Association on October 26.

Three National Anthem Mix-Ups at Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games

Three national anthem mix-ups occurred on the same day at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games, with Iran's anthem mistakenly played during medal ceremonies for Chinese Taipei and Mongolia, while South Korea's anthem was played instead of China's before a women's sitting volleyball match.

Japan Sports Weekend: Baseball, Football, Golf...

Japan's sporting weekend was dominated by the completion of professional baseball's postseason, with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars securing a remarkable sweep of the Central League champions Hanshin Tigers and the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks advancing from the Pacific League.

Top 5 B.League players to watch this season

Japanese basketball continues to improve year after year. Strong financial backing and steadily growing fan interest have turned the B.League into one of Asia’s most exciting competitions.

Japan Women's Soccer Team Suffers Comeback Defeat to Germany

Japan's women's national soccer team, Nadeshiko Japan, suffered a 2-1 comeback defeat to Germany in an international friendly in Bremen on October 13, despite taking an early lead through Momoko Tanikawa.

34-Time National Sumo Champion Continues to Challenge Younger Rivals

Miku Yamanaka, a 32-year-old veteran of women's sumo who has claimed 34 national titles, continues to compete against younger rivals while balancing work and training, demonstrating remarkable determination as she battles through injuries in pursuit of further success at the All-Japan Women's Sumo Championships.

< 2 3 4 5 >