Five most promising players of Japan B.League 2026

Apr 12, 2026 | News On Japan

Apr 12, 2026 (News On Japan) - The betting company 1xBet presents five basketball players for whom the B.League could become a springboard to achieving greater heights.

Lee Hyun-jung

This 25-year-old South Korean basketball player, standing 201 cm tall, is known for his versatility: he can play both shooting guard and small forward positions.

The club Nagasaki Velca made the right decision by signing Lee Hyun-jung in 2025. He is considered one of the top Asian talents and, in a short time, has become so popular in Japan that tickets for Nagasaki Velca games now sell out instantly, including among South Korean fans.

From 2023 to 2025, Lee Hyun-jung played in Australia and won an NBL championship gold medal as part of the Illawarra Hawks. His basketball future seemed genetically predetermined. His mother, Sung Jung-a, is a silver medalist at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics; his father played basketball at a semi-professional level; and his older sister, Lee Ri-na, was once invited to the U-16 national team.

Quick decision-making is Lee Hyun-jung's key quality. He needs only a few seconds to understand how to act: whether to pass, take a shot from a standing position, or drive to the basket.

Keisei Tominaga

In 2025, 25-year-old Keisei Tominaga, who stands 188 cm tall, signed with the club Levanga Hokkaido Sapporo. In the current B.League season, this point guard averages 18.5 points per game – the best among Japanese athletes. Keisei also balances playing for Japan’s traditional national team and the country’s 3x3 national squad.

Tominaga graduated from college in the United States and performed for the Indiana Mad Ants in the NBA G League. He is considered a key figure in on-court communication, skillfully adjusting his teammates’ movements in response to the opponent’s actions.

Kai Sotto

The 23-year-old Filipino center from Koshigaya Alphas has NBA potential. He makes excellent use of his physical attributes – standing 221 cm tall, he leads the B.League in blocks (1.2 per game) and ranks among the top players in rebounds (8.9 per game).

From 2021 to 2023, Kai played in the NBL for the Adelaide 36ers and was named NBL Fans MVP twice. Experts note the Filipino’s steady improvement. In training, Sotto spends hours refining his shooting accuracy, ball-handling technique, and defensive skills.

Stanley Johnson

Thanks to his extensive NBA experience, this 198-cm-tall American small forward is considered the biggest star in Japan’s B.League. In the Land of the Rising Sun, Stanley plays for Nagasaki Velca and is the number one contender for the season MVP award. Johnson’s average stats per game are 23 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. His three-point shooting accuracy of 34.4% also gives this 29-year-old a strong chance of returning to the NBA soon.

Jarrett Culver

The 1xBet review concludes with another American. Before moving to Japan, Jarrett played for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, and Atlanta Hawks. His NBA experience makes him one of the most formidable forces in the B.League. He averages 26.3 points per game and leads the scoring race.

In one of the clashes, Culver scored 52 points, the season record. Standing 198 cm tall, he can perform equally effectively as a shooting guard or small forward. He is rightly considered one of the most spectacular players in the league, and watching his dribbling, passing, and shooting is a real pleasure.

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