As I learned regarding the fun of playing in a match, “I had a hard time playing in a match more than ever.”
Yuta Watanabe, who finished his fourth season at the NBA, returned to Japan and held an online press conference on May 6.
Watanabe, who won the contract with the Raptors in the middle of last season, signed this contract once more this season, played 38 games in the regular season, and participated in the playoffs for the first time in his career.
Watanabe recalls the season, “I had a lot of things this season, and I experienced a lot of good things, and on the contrary, I also experienced bad things.” “There were various conflicts during the season, but I think it was a good season to finish. It was a season that gave me confidence and proved various things.”
“I was disappointed that I mightn’t play in the game because I was out of rotation in the middle of the season, but I think it was a season that made me confident that I might do it in the NBA world,” he said. I also touched on that.
Watanabe has been absent from the start of the season except for one pre-season match due to the tension of his left calf. It became an existence that supports the team that lacks players in the offense and defense. In addition to the well-established defense, he also made a series of aggressive attacks in the absence of an offensive move, leaving 7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists and career high numbers in 14 games, and was also the starting pitcher in 2 games. The average playtime has increased to 20.5 minutes. In addition, he scored 12 points and 10 rebounds once morest Kings on December 13, and achieved his first double-double in his career. He also scored 26 points and 13 rebounds once morest the Cavaliers on December 27, showing his presence.
However, in early January, Watanabe himself entered the health and safety protocol and decided to leave the front line. Watanabe says, “I wasn’t feeling well in the game where I got into the corona and mightn’t do anything for a few days, and then the rhythm got worse and I got out of rotation.” Also, at the same time that Watanabe left the front, the teammates who had left until now revived, and Watanabe then went out of rotation, eventually reaching 4.3 points and 2.4 rebounds with an average play time of 11.7 minutes. became.
Watanabe reveals that he was unable to play in the match following entering the rotation in the early part of the season and was unable to play in the match. “I once knew the fun of playing a game as a rotation player in a certain amount of time, so when I mightn’t play a game, I really felt the gap. That’s more than three seasons so far. I had a hard time not being able to play in the match, which was the hardest part of the season. “
“I’m confident that I was able to do this for a year as a contract player.”
Watanabe regained the regret of not being able to play in the game, but the confidence he gained is greater than that. Watanabe says. “When I was in the game as a rotation player, I was able to leave some numbers, and I was able to play an active part in the parts that did not remain in the numbers. I achieved double-double, which I might not do last season, now. I think I was able to accomplish the tasks that I mightn’t do until then. I can’t do that without my ability, and I was able to play a certain role when I was a rotation player, not just one or two good games. That gave me confidence. “
Watanabe also said that spending one season as a player under this contract for the first time in this season gave him great confidence. He has played in NBA games on two-way contracts for the past three seasons, but he says, “I think I’m more aware and responsible than when I was on a two-way contract.” “I have to be more active by that amount, and I’m getting a little pressure, but I’m confident that I was able to do it for a year as a contracted player including that. Originally, the contract is a complete guarantee for the training camp. It started from nothing, but it gave me a lot of confidence to win and finish the season. “
Watanabe will be a free agent now off, but he says he hasn’t decided anything regarding next season. Still, “I don’t know next season, but I want to spend my time off so that I can face myself best when the season starts,” he said, while preparing for the new season while keeping the on-off sharpness.
Looking only at the stats, it was lower than last season, but this season it should have been a season where Watanabe’s future activities are expected more because he entered the rotation and participated in the game and proved his ability. is.
The press conference lasted regarding an hour, and Watanabe answered all the questions politely in his own words. Finally, Watanabe himself greeted the media as follows. “The reason why many people interviewed me this season and Japanese people really know what I’m doing is because I’m interviewed, so today as well. I am grateful that many people have gathered from the morning. I would like to continue to grow as a basketball player and as a person and become a player who wants to cover more. “
It was a press conference that showed not only the daily efforts and play aspects of fighting on the highest stage of the basketball world called NBA, but also Watanabe’s personality.
