In the NBA, you have a better diet and strength coaches to make you better physically. And the number of coaches, it makes me feel like there's more of them than us players.
Yuta Watanabe
I didn't know if I would be good enough to play for an American college team. But I wanted to try.
I don't really feel any pressure. I can control only what I can control.
I'm a basketball player first and foremost. So I want to put basketball above everything else.
I like people to be loyal.
Because I did well at the prep school, I got to have more options as some different universities gave me offers.
Baseball is the biggest sport in Japan, then soccer, and basketball is... People don't really care about basketball.
I just want to keep working hard. I just want to keep improving myself. And I just want to prove people that I can play in the real game.
My dream is to play someday in the NBA.
I like school. Actually, I don't really like it.
Basketball definitely helped, because even though I couldn't speak English, I was able to spend a lot of time with my teammates, which helped me learning English a lot.
I'd play every position when I was in elementary school and junior high. I was playing as guard, too.
As for my shooting, I really think that what I've done since I was little really paid off. That's become one of my weapons even after I've come to the States.
When I came to America, I had some surprises at first, but I could soon adjust.
It's important to strengthen my body while also improving my shot. Shooting and defense are how I'll make my living, so those are the areas I really have to work on.
'The Memphis Grizzlies' are always a great defensive team and defense is one of my strengths, so I think that's one thing that I can bring to this team.
I'm just really excited about my future and I'm really looking forward to taking challenges... and I just can't wait to start.
Madison Square Garden is one of the greatest arenas in the world.
In my junior year, I became one of the best defenders on my team, and as the years go by my confidence gets even higher, and that's because of my coach.
I just play hard on the defensive end. For me, being a good defender is someone who plays very hard on defense and just tries hard.
