How Yuta Watanabe went from being undrafted to the Nets’ rotation

Remember the player that Anthony Edwards dunked on in February of 2021? This is him now.

Nearly two years since the infamous poster, NBA fans are seeing Yuta Watanabe in a new light. His involvement, while unexpected, has been beneficial to the Brooklyn Nets. Now in his fifth season as a pro, Watanabe has been flourishing since joining the Nets this past summer. For a team that boasts players such as Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons, people sometimes fail to acknowledge the importance of the role players surrounding the stars. Watanabe has embraced his role and become a staple in the Nets’ rotation. Let’s dive in and get to know the Japanese southpaw out in Brooklyn.

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One of the five players from Japan to ever grace the NBA, Watanabe hails from Miki, Kagawa. It was no surprise that he followed the path of basketball as both his parents and his sister played the sport professionally in Japan. Watanabe spent his first three high school seasons in his home country before traveling to the United States to attend St. Thomas More Preparatory School in Oakdale, Connecticut. Watanabe was given a three-star rating by ESPN and Scout.com. However, his lone season of high school basketball in the United States was enough for him to get a spot on George Washington University’s roster. After spending four years playing in the nation’s capital, Watanabe entered the 2018 NBA draft but unfortunately did not get selected.

The Nets and Watanabe are no strangers. After failing to get drafted, Watanabe played for the Nets in the NBA Summer League and earned a two-way contract with the Memphis Grizzlies and their NBA G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. The beginning of his career was not a bed of roses as Watanabe became a swinger between the NBA and the G League for the Grizzlies, the Toronto Raptors, and their respective G League teams. In the summer of 2022, Watanabe signed with the Nets and is having the most productive season so far in his career.

Now that we have covered his story, let’s talk about Watanabe’s game. During his time at George Washington, Watanabe gained a reputation as a consistent scorer and rebounder. With the second most blocks in school history (147), Watanabe also established himself as a defensive presence which directly translated to the NBA. Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse once said his defense “rubs off on others.”

Watanabe has become a spark off the bench for the Nets and has blossomed as a scorer and playmaker. Like the bodegas in Brooklyn, Watanabe is reliable and always open. He has become more confident and effective from beyond the arch, adding to the Nets’ threat from three alongside Durant, Irving, Seth Curry, Joe Harris, and Patty Mills. Watanabe currently shoots 55.3% from the field and 52.1% from three-point range. You can expect him to be at the right place on offense and sprint to get to a good defensive position.

Watanabe stands at 6’8″. He is far from short but plays taller than he already is. He is athletic yet graceful to watch when he plays. He can make it look like he is going for a layup but instead make a pass as if he changed his mind between the time his soles leave and land back on the hardwood. He receives passes in the air and makes the next pass before his feet touch the floor, almost like a volleyball setter. Aside from his ability to make himself constantly available for his teammates, Watanabe’s athleticism makes him hard to read for defenders.

When the Nets acquired Watanabe from Toronto, nobody knew what his role would be in Brooklyn. “When I signed with the Nets, I guess people did not expect me to play this much”, Watanabe told the Voice of the Nets podcast. “Even I was not expecting [to play]. I came into this training camp with a none-guarantee, my goal was to make a team”. While his impact on the team came as a surprise, Watanabe’s body of work has made him a staple to fans southeast of the Brooklyn Bridge.

After a dramatic summer and turbulent start to the season, the Nets are currently fourth in the Eastern Conference. Role players such as Watanabe have highly contributed to their success, and a recent victory against the Pacers proved that they can still compete when their stars are not playing. From being undrafted to becoming one of the most effective players in the NBA, Watanabe has made the most of his minutes so far this season. Expect him to continue stepping up when needed as the Nets try to find the route to a championship.