“The most exciting player in the Big Ten": College Hoops analyst gushes over Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga

For three straight seasons, Nebraska guard Keisei Tominaga has delighted Cornhuskers fans and college basketball fans with his incredible talent. The 22-year-old Japanese sensation is an important part of Fred Hoiberg’s Nebraska outfit, which currently has a 13-3 overall record this season.

The excitement of watching Tominaga was so overwhelming for CBS Sports journalist and College Hoops Today host Jon Rothstein. Rothstein was running a commentary on Nebraska’s 88-72 upset win over Purdue and couldn’t help but praise the Nebraska guard to the heavens. He said,

“Look at the numbers for Keisei Tominaga. I’m gonna say it now. I’ll say it again: the most exciting player in the Big Ten.”

Tominaga was a big factor in what is the Cornhuskers’ biggest win of the Hoiberg era. The senior guard scored 19 points from nine shots, five of which he threw from deep. His performance helped Nebraska secure its first win over a top-ranked team for the first time since 1982.

With the win over No. 1 Purdue, Nebraska shows another reason it should be considered a serious contender for a spot at the NCAA Tournament. As anyone would expect, Tominaga should feature heavily for the Cornhuskers as the season progresses. Already, he has averaged 14.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 46.5% field goal success.

Keisei Tominaga's Nebraska career

Keisei Tominaga joined Nebraska in 2021 after two years at Ranger College, where he played NJCAA basketball. After the abridged 2020 season, he transferred to Nebraska with three years of college eligibility still left on his slate. He chose to return for his senior season at Nebraska after initially declaring for the 2023 NBA Draft.

Tominaga at the FIBA Basketball World Cup

Tominaga played high school basketball in his home country, Japan, where he attended Sakuragaoka Gakuen High School in Aichi Prefecture. He led the school’s basketball team to a third-place finish at the All-Japan Championship, in which he averaged 39.8 points per game.

The Nebraska guard has also featured for the Japanese national team, first at the FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship in 2018. He led the team in points per game and was called again in 2018 for the FIBA Under-18 Asian Championship, where he repeated the feat.

His senior national team debut came when he was named in the Japanese team for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup Asian qualifiers. With his entry into the draft inevitable this year, Tominaga’s performance this season will no doubt have a direct impact on his draft stock.