Former Raptors fan favourite Watanabe ends NBA career to go play in Japan
Former Toronto Raptors fan fave Yuta Watanabe is returning home to Japan.
On an Instagram live broadcast today, Watanabe announced his plans to end his NBA career after six years and head back to his native country in order to play professional basketball there, as per Japanese reporter Takeshi Shibata.
Former Raptors shooter Yuta Watanabe via his Instagram Live just revealed his plan to go back to Japan for the 2024-25 season, ending his 6-year NBA career.
Best wishes for him! To my basketball friends in North America, please send your encouragements to Yuta!— Takeshi Shibata (@KC_Shibata) April 20, 2024
Watanabe also shared a graphic on X commemorating his career.
いろいろあったけど最高の6年間でした！！🙏 pic.twitter.com/OfXRYagSN2
— Yuta Watanabe 渡邊 雄太 (@wacchi1013) April 20, 2024
Though his time with Toronto wasn’t the longest, it’s clear that Watanabe developed a connection with the fanbase during his time with the team.
Watanabe averaged 4.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 0.7 assists in 88 games for the Raptors in his career across the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.
After playing parts of two seasons with the Raptors, Watanabe signed with the Brooklyn Nets prior to the 2022-23 season.
“They didn’t say specifics, but I could guess that they were trying to move on,” Watanabe said regarding his departure in an interview with Sportsnet’s The Raptors Show last December. “I wanted to stay there after that, though. I love Toronto. I had had two good seasons with the Raptors, but I wasn’t sure if the team was going to offer me [a new contract]. So, my goal was to re-sign with the Raptors. If not, I told my agent, ‘If it’s not going to work, I want to go to the 905. I want to stay in Toronto.’ That’s what I told my agent.”
Watanabe was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies for his second stint with the franchise as part of a three-team deal this past February, having started off the season with the Phoenix Suns.
Watanabe played just five games in Memphis this season after the trade, last suiting up on March 3.
Watanabe initially moved to North America in his final year of high school to play basketball at St. Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Connecticut. He then spent four years playing at George Washington University, before going undrafted in the NBA Draft in 2018.
If this is the end, Watanabe finished his career in the NBA averaging 4.2 points and 2.3 rebounds in 213 regular-season games.
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