Yuta Watanabe is a professional basketball player known for his shatterproof defense, exceptional skills and remarkable athletic caliber, currently playing for the Phoenix Suns. He played high school basketball for the Jinsei Gakuen high School in Zentsuji, Japan and led his team to reach the finals in his final two years with the program. Watanabe then moved to the United States in 2013, and joined St. Thomas More Preparatory School, where he helped his team earn a place in the National Prep Championship game. His performance in the annual National Prep School Invitational earned him (NEPSAC) Class AAA First Team All-League honors. He was rated a three-star recruit by ESPN Recruiting Nation and received a three-star rating from Scout.com.
Playing college basketball for George Washington University, he became the first Japanese player to be given an NCAA Division I basketball scholarship. As a Freshman, Watanabe helped his team win the Diamond Head Classic Crown and was named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the week for his performance. Watanabe continued his extraordinary show and earned his second Atlantic 10 Rookie of the week. He became the first player to win multiple Rookie of the week awards in the same season after Lasan Kromah.
He helped his team win the National Invitational Tournament in his sophomore year and was the leading shot blocker for his team. He continued his performance in his junior year and was named to the Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team.
As a senior, he was the leading scorer with 16.3 points per game and the second best rebounder with 6.1 rebounds per game. His imposing gameplay earned him the Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Year, George Washington’s Patricio Garino Defensive award and the Mike Brown MVP award. He was also named to the Atlantic 10 All-Conference Third team and Atlantic 10 All-Defensive team.
Wingspan of Yuta Watanabe
Yute Watanabe stands at a staggering height of 6’9” (2.06 m) and has a wingspan of 6’10”. Growing up in a family of basketball players, Watanabe developed a keen interest in basketball. His mother played for the Japan Women’s National team and Chanson V-Magic, while his father played professional basketball for the Kumagai Gumi Bruins. His sister played for the Aisin AW Wings.
He was asked to join the Japan Men’s National Basketball team at the age of 18 and helped his team win Bronze in the East Asia Basketball Championship. He was also named to the Japanese Squad for the 2019 FIBA basketball World Cup, where he led the Japanese Squad in points and efficiency per game.
FAQs
A. Yuta Watanabe stands at an impressive height of 6’9” (2.06m)
A. Yuta Watanabe weighs 215 lbs (98 kg)
A. Yuta Watanbe is a great defender with a defensive rating of 117.8.
A. Yuta Watanbe is married to Akiko Kuji, a former Fuji TV announcer.
A. Yuta Watanbe signed a 2-year contract worth $5,001,258 with the Phoenix Suns. He will receive an average annual salary of $2,500,629. He will receive a base salary of $2,346,614 in the 2023-24 season.
