Sport & Design Blog: live from Tokyo, Japan!
Dreaming big @ Beijing 2008
Artwork by DUZZ: original project poster, featuring Yuki and Ume (Hope 81’s first Youth Sports Ambassadors)
Two years ago, we had a big dream of going to Beijing to see the Gold Medal Mens Basketball Game live. And we wanted to build some new friendship through streetball along the way. So with zero financial support and no tickets, we took a chance and went for it! The project was led by our two Youth Sports Ambassadors from Tokyo (Yuki and Ume). We worked with the Ribbon Magnet Group/MsDS, which helped out with our HIV Awareness campaign, plus a bunch of great local supporters in Beijing (Mark, More Free & CL Smooth Crew, all the ballers from Dong Dan, Di Tan Gun, and Chao Yang Park) and so many more people who stepped up and supported us behind the scenes. Here’s a look back at an incredible journey:
Our first trip to Beijing turned out to be a key starting point for our Sport for P.E.A.C.E. initiative, and set the stage for our other grassroots campaigns. A nice reminder that anything’s possible. Let’s keep dreaming big, Japan!
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Hoop dreaming: NBA's next big (or little) ticket?
August 21 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
NBA hopeful Yuta Tabuse of the JBL’s Tochigi Brex
Japan is ‘hoop dreaming’ more and more these days. The energy around basketball here in Tokyo is growing, and the excitement level is definitely rising-- from streetball all the way to the pro leagues. So what will it take for J-hoops stars to break through in the NBA? That question has been seriously played out around here, but outside Japan, who cares? Do NBA teams (and NBA Commissioner David Stern) look at us and wonder when we’ll find a way to step up and get our act together? Europe, Africa, South America, China...Iran......Japan? What’s the hold up? Seriously, what is it? One thing we know for sure, its not all about size. Pooh Jeter can attest to that. He’s a hard-working 5’11” point guard who just got signed with the Kings this summer. Inspiration for all Japan hoop dreamers out there. You really can make it...but how?
UNITED WE RISE
Perhaps the unification of the JBL and bj league in the coming years will help get more Japanese prospects into the media, and into the conversation for NBA scouts. Or not. We’ve got to grab the world’s attention and change perceptions about Japanese basketball. If and when the spotlight begins to shift toward Japan, we also need to have the ability to back it up. And how do we get our players ready for that?
We found an article yesterday from veteran sportswriter Fred Varcoe, which discusses some points about the nature of the beast: why Japanese hoop dreamers can’t breakthrough in the NBA. In the article, Tochigi Brex skills coach Mike Olson explains how some of his players have enough talent to make it, but something’s missing. The article hints that players need to start young and go attend university overseas. Sounds like a good idea, but try convincing a coach at a top university in Japan to send his team’s best player to the NCAAs and you’ll probably get a respectful “no thanks.”
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
We’ve got an idea about what that missing link might be, and we’ve been working to address it with our Rising Suns project these past couple of years at Quai 54 in Paris. Communication. Intercultural Communication, and lots of it. The NBA is all about marketing, and marketability of its players. If Tabuse was good at distributing the ball and getting everyone involved in the game, he needed to also be even better at giving interviews in English after the game. Unless your name is Yao and you’re a beast in the lane, Japan’s hoop dreamers of the future are going to have to break through with a ‘communications style’ that will sell tickets. It’s not MLB where you are up on the pitcher’s mound and reading sign language from your catcher, or doing interviews after the game with an interpreter. The NBA is a fast-paced, hands-on game where you’ve got to be in the flow, communicating on the fly, talking to refs, pumping up the crowd, engaging the audience. If Japan can learn to communicate better, both on and off the court, we might have the NBA’s next big (or little) ticket.
Get those communication skills up, and we’ll be talking to Mr. Stern soon enough.
Dennis Rodman's Last Game...EVER?
August 19 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Dennis Rodman's Street 2 Elite 2010 tour is in Japan right now and everyone's buzzing to see The Worm's final run (according to Rodman’s twitter account yesterday, this will probably be his last time on the court).
S2E also features Ex-NBA veteran Tracy Murray and a bunch of stars from the old And1 tours-- now playing by the name of Ball Up. Don't forget, we've also got a few Rising Suns in the mix. From RS2009 team (M21) and RS2010 team (K-TA) will be there, along with several of our RS player pool members. All of the guys will be playing as part of an All-Star team from the Japanese streetball league Somecity.
Great to see some of our guys who didn't make it to Paris get the chance to showcase their skills on the big stage. It should be a nice honor to represent Japan against Rodman's squad. Hope Japan can hold it down and keep it competitive. Keep Rodman under 20 rebounds (and just try not to get posterized!)... Keep rising, Japan.
For info about the Street 2 Elite tour, tickets, etc. Go to www.street2elite.jp
The tour is organized by And1 and Sports Biz Japan.
Darin Maki in Los Angeles @ Staples!
D-Mak or D-Fish???
Rising Suns 2010 team leader Darin Satoshi Maki aka ‘Tru Ninja’ usually spends his off-seasons in LA-- working out, trying to perfect his game (read the full interview). In a recent blog post on darinsatoshimaki.com, Darin talks about his goal of emulating Lakers’ point guard Derek Fisher with his style of play. His stroke in this year’s Quai 54/Foot Locker Three-point Shootout, where finished just one shot away from the finals, would have made D-Fish proud.
So when Darin’s new team, the Tokyo Apache of Japan’s bj league, were invited to conduct a special walkthrough of the venue at the one and only home of the LA Lakers-- Staples Center, you know Darin was there. While Apache management looked to pick up some pointers about running their league games in Japan, D-Mak had a private workout under the lights at Staples. Any sighting of D-Fish in the hallways? From what we heard, he wasn’t around, but maybe we’ll get a chance to catch up with D-Fish another day. NBA All Star 2011 in LA?? Workin’ on it...
Here’s the Apache’s report (with some nice pics) just released yesterday. Looking forward to seeing some exciting home games this season here in Tokyo, and some clutch fourth quarter shooting ala D-fish!
Hope 81 Interview with Tru Ninja!
Darin Satoshi Maki the Tru Ninja himself... (bottom right side) sneakin’ up on CP3 during the Quai 54 tourney.
Here’s a special interview with our Rising Suns team leader Darin Satoshi Maki, who talks about his experiences at Quai 54, life in the offseason, and his big return to the Tokyo Apache this year. Thanks for working on this with us, D-MAK!
How was Paris? How did it feel to represent Japan? Are you ready to lead the Rising Suns' back to Quai 54 with a stronger team next year?
Paris was an awesome experience! I knew going into the tournament that these cats could really play, if you know basketball then you know what the QUAI 54 is all about. It was the first time I actually repped Japan and it felt pretty cool, people didn't know we could ball out here. I repped USA before back in the day but something about repping your motherland is different, even if it was only a streetball tourney. Going out to Paris, I knew it was going to be a tough tournament for us to advance. We were going up against a lot of pro and national team players so my goal was to play hard and make a statement. I had this notion that peeps thought that our team was the best we had in Japan... Let me just say, no way! we got some cats that can really play! For next year, if I can help select players for the Japan team, I think we can really make a splash. Really looking forward to playing next year in the Jordan sponsored, biggest streetball tournament in the world, QUAI 54.
What have you been up to lately in LA, and how do you work on your game in the offseason? Venice Beach? Westwood/UCLA runs? Weightroom? Got any secrets you mind sharing with our young Rising Suns out there?
Since I've been back in L.A, I have been doing the usual stuff, training and keeping in touch with all my peoples. This time of the year is really special for me because I get to see my family and friends. It is also a crucial time of the year to work on your game. I have been in the gym working on my strength and basketball skills with some of my best friends, who also happen to play pro as well. Just a couple of the guys and a trainer, get in and get out. People always ask, "where you playin ball at?" Well to tell you the truth I don't get as much 5 on 5 action during the summer. One thing is I do not want to get injured, and also I like to focus on skill work and the little stuff. NO BAD HABITS! So I am sorry to break your hearts about this big myth that we all ball together during the summer at a secret location, BUT...when all the pro and college cats get together you know we get it in lol.
Do I have any advice for the young, future superstars out there? I say work on your skills as much as possible and add a little something to your arsenal every off-season. Don't play ball just to play ball either. I know we all love the game but you must practice with a purpose. You can play pick-up ball 5 hours a day and pick up more bad habits than the guy who goes an hour and a half hard on his skillwork. Everybody is athletic, can run and jump right? Maybe the next guy just a little bit more than you, so what is going to set yourself apart from him? The guy who plays in front of you? Outworking him. Put in the work and the results will show, don't expect quick results because there are none. Everytime you are lazy, imagine your opponent shooting 1000 jump shots, running hills,etc. You gotta be hungry.
TYO! You recently got signed by the Tokyo Apache, which is YOUR old neighborhood (and OUR Hope 81 hood, too). How did you get the deal done? And are you excited to play under new Apache coach Bob Hill?
It feels great to be back with the Tokyo Apache. I had a busy off-season as a free agent and wanted to find a team before I came back to L.A for the summer. There were a few teams interested and I had turned down a GREAT offer from another team. One thing is, I had unfinished business to take care of. I have been to the BJ-League finals twice and lost while a member of the Apache. It still stings to this day and I feel we have a great chance to get back to the finals and take the whole thing. What intrigued me was the new ownership of the team and the new coach. Evolution Capital Management, an American company, had purchased the team and from my early talks with them, I knew they were going to steer this team in the right direction. Having coach Bob Hill sign on was just as big, he is a seasoned NBA coach who brings immediate clout to our team and league. I worked out with him and his staff last month in Dallas and he is legit! From the first day to the last day, I already saw huge improvements in all our games, imagine what he can do in 1 season?
I am very excited about the forthcoming season, if you want to see what I'm up to, follow me on twitter and check out my homepage.
www.twitter.com/BELLOBLOCK
www.darinsatoshimaki.com
1ove, D-MAK
Basketball without Borders: ASIA TOUR
July 28 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Earlier this month, Basketball without Borders completed its first-ever Southeast Asian event with NBA players Trevor Ariza, Kyle Korver, Al Horford and others visiting Singapore for clinics and games to help Asian youth basketball player development. The BWB activities are co-organized by FIBA and the NBA Players Association, with additional sponsorship from local businesses, apparel brands, etc.
As reported on FIBA’s site:
“The top 50 players from 22 countries across Asia - as selected by FIBA and participating federations - will come together to train under NBA and FIBA players and coaches and compete against their peers.
"It is a great pleasure to visit Singapore for the first time," said Patrick Bauman, Secretary General, FIBA and a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). "The interest in sports - particularly basketball - is growing rapidly over there and we are confident that through Basketball without Borders we can help further that growth, thereby allowing young basketball talents to maximise their potential both on and off the court."
We’ve already approached some FIBA representatives about the possibility of bringing a Basketball without Borders event to Japan, and the question is not as simple as it may seem. Generally, it would take a huge effort by Japanese basketball officials, media and local grassroots organizations to rally the kind of interest FIBA needs to bring the BWB here. So with that, we’ll just keep working on it from our end, and do whatever we can to make it happen... One exciting note for J-hoops at this year’s event: Japan had two youth basketball players make the trip to BWB Singapore. Hopefully they are bringing back some great stories which they can share with friends and teammates. We know from our Rising Suns trip to Paris, these opportunities help grow our ‘collective hoop dream’. Keep growing, keep rising!
If you’re interested, check out the complete 2010 FIBA/NBA BWB Asia Camp Roster:
Coaches: Trevor Ariza (Rockets), Corey Brewer (Timberwolves), Francisco Garcia (Kings), Al Horford (Hawks), Taj Gibson (Bulls), Gene Keady, Bob McAdoo, Don Newman, Joe Wolf, Gregg Farnam, Dean Cooper
Australia — Corey Maynard, Tom Daly, Chris Patton, Josh Wilcher, Jan Warbout
China — Tao Hanlin, Wang Yingliang, Zhang Dayu, Cao Fei, Xiaokelaiti Azati
Chinese Taipei — Hung Kang-Chiao, Chen Ying-Chun
India — Somvir Somvir, Sunny Raut, Satnam Singh
Indonesia — Dewah Wiratno
Iran — Amir Sedighi, Arman Zangeneh, Ghahraman Omari, Meisam Mirzaei Talarposhti, Farshad Kharazmi
Japan — Yuya Nagayoshi, Tenketsu Harimoto
Jordan — Ahmad Dwairi, Ahmed Nofal
Kazakhstan — Dmitriy Tsoy, Shaim Kuanov, Vadim Chsherbak
Korea — Kim Jihoo, Bae Sooyone, Kim Nakhyeon, Lee Juhyeong
Kyrgyzstan — Alexsandr Adeikin, Evgenii Pekhov
Lebanon — Constantin Kodsi, Karam Mechref
New Zealand — Jordan Ngatai, Christopher Duthie
Philippines — Mario Emmanuel Bonleon, Gian Carlo Go
Qatar — Abduallah Shaher Matalkeh
Singapore — Fong Jia Jun, Ng Zhao Feng, Larry Liew
Turkmenistan — Muradberdy Bazarbayev
UAE — Omer Khalid Faqqas Omar Al Ameri, Qais Omar Al Shabebi
Uzbekistan — Denis Timofeev
Vietnam — Le Dat
Rising Suns in the News: Japan Times
July 23 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Here’s an excerpt from ‘Hoops Scoop’ writer Ed Odeven’s story about basketball player development in the Japan Times today...thanks, Ed! (And don’t be confused by the title of the article...we’re just spreading love for the game. Hope 81 has no religious mission, affiliations, etc.)
Friday, July 23, 2010
BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Players spread gospel in summertime
By ED ODEVEN
Staff writer
...Overseas basketball trips are another aspect of a sport with no true off-season. Darin Satoshi Maki, formerly of the Tokyo Apache and Oita HeatDevils, stayed busy last month while suiting up for the Rising Suns, a streetball team organized by Hope 81, a nonprofit grassroots organization involved in "basketball development, global poverty relief and environmental sustainability," according to its Web site.
The capable floor leader, one of the top defensive guards in the five-year history of the bj-league, played for the Rising Suns in the Quai 54 streetball tournament in Paris.
"Maki was definitely attracting a lot of attention during our trip to Paris, knocking down shot after shot in the 3-point point shootout — finishing just one point away from the finals — then called on to help Quai 54 Dunk Contest Champion Guy Dupuy for his final dunk attempt, and being selected as a featured interview for the official Quai 54 DVD," said Jason Hutson, an American expatriate who serves as a Rising Suns player, coach and organizer. "I think this experience helped him gain some visibility, especially outside Japan."
Hutson also believes Maki, a free agent, would be a welcome addition for a bj-league club in the immediate future.
"As a top point guard in Asia over the past 10 years in China, Japan and Vietnam, the 'Tru Ninja' definitely has a lot to offer teams in the bj-league, especially those looking for veteran leadership and someone who can control the ball, set the tempo, etc.," said Hutson. "He's a 'Derek Fisher' kind of player, someone who doesn't turn the ball over and can knock down clutch shots.
"Now after Paris, the challenge is to make sure people know about his efforts (for us in Paris) here in Japan. . ."
The Rising Suns' 2010 squad also featured center Antoine Broxsie, who led the bj-league in blocked shots last season while playing for the Takamatsu Five Arrows, and Apache forward Kenji Hilke.
Check out the complete article in the Japan Times. And follow Ed Odeven’s Hoop Scoop column, to keep up with all the latest news in the Japanese pro leagues.
New Quai 54 2010 Trailer: Jordan Outdoor Video
July 22 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Check out the new Quai 54 2010 video on Jordan Outdoor, with our guy Darin Maki a.k.a. Tru Ninja-- representing the Rising Suns 2010 squad!
A lot of the footage in the clip is shot by videographer/basketball film documentarist Kevin Couliau, who we got to know during our practice game with George Eddy in Paris. Thanks for all your hard work, and helping us get Japan on the basketball map!
What's my motivation?
July 08 2010 Filed in: Hope 81
Hope 81 Founder Jason Hutson, rising for a dunk in a new web campaign for UNIQLO sportswear
Some basketball treasures to keep the dream alive...
When you were a kid, did you dream of becoming a professional athlete? Now do you play NBA Live and imagine that’s you on the screen-- dunking from the free throw line? We get so much hope from watching pro players, and that was my inspiration during a recent shooting of a new web campaign for the Japanese apparel brand UNIQLO... Think “Lost in Translation” mixed with that old Sprite basketball commercial “What’s my motivation??”.
This one was easy for me. When the director was asking me to do something, I just tried to imagine all the old “come fly with me” Jordan moments, or Kobe’s signature attack. And looking at my picture above, with the Jordan basketball card (bottom left), I think I nailed it. The UNIQLO campaign uses twitter feeds from users to interact with athletes from various sports (tennis, karate, soccer, basketball, etc.). So if you land on the basketball clip, your tweets will turn into my spin-move, crossover, step-back jumper, or the ultimate=freethrow-line dunk ala MJ... give it a try!
By the way, this is just for fun and is not meant to try and sell you anything. That being said, the money we got for working on this CM went directly into funding our Rising Suns trip to Paris. So in a way, doing the spot helped our team get there. Thanks for supporting us, and helping Japanese basketball rise. And thanks Kobe, MJ, for all the years of inspiration. From childhood dreams, to video games, to twitter campaigns... I love this game!
Hope 81
Jason Hutson
RS2010@QUAI 54: Full Recap
July 04 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
The Rising Suns 2010 journey started about a year ago, all culminating with a one-week visit to the Quai 54 International Streetball Championships (June 21-29) in Paris, France. For our Rising Suns du Japon, the experience was awesome, challenging, difficult, heart-breaking, amazing, inspiring, and then some. Here’s a full recap of how it went down, with Rising Suns team organizer Jason Hutson’s inside views of the entire trip-- from start to finish:
Day 1: Travel to Paris
Still running around trying to get our funds in order, came up short on the fundraising and sponsorship-- not quite as bad as last year though... Anyways, looks like I will have to extend my credit limit and make sure we have enough money to survive the week. Running to the train station with 50lb bags and five minutes before my express train to Narita. Why am I always doing this?? I like the feeling of pressure situations, I guess. At the airport the team is all there waiting for me, and we fly out of gate 81. Hey, 81, that's us! Japan's country code and our organization-- Hope 81. Destiny for the Rising Suns du Japon! We have a stopover in Hong Kong, the team goes crazy when they see a Muji store... Last chance to buy Japanese snacks before we arrive in Paris.
Day 2: Welcome to Courbevoie
Yace meets us at the airport, and Antoine is with him already when he finds us. Big relief to see our 6'11" center there in Paris, ready to play. No missed flights, no lost baggage, everybody ready. Here we go! Ride in the Quai 54 van to our hotel in the north side of Paris called Courbevoie. It's right down the Seine river from the old Quai 54 court @ Levallois. Beautiful morning, we walk around the neighborhood, find a bakery and everybody buys some pan au chocolat. Antoine's excited about eating crepes while he's here.
Later, we walk along the river to Levallois court and try to get loose. Some of our guys play pickup. The pro guys don't want to play outdoors so they watch from the sidelines. One of our players leaves without letting me know first, which is frustrating since we don't get a chance to walk through our plays. We wrap things up and walk over to Yace's neighborhood in Genevilliers for kebab sandwiches and pizza for dinner on the patio. Play ball till 9:30pm, sunset dinner at 10:30pm, this is summer in Paris!
Day 3: Challenge Day
We have our first breakfast meeting, most of the players show up, talk about our week ahead, and try to see how the players are feeling. Jump on a bus and head to Stade Coubertin, a pro gym in Paris where we are supposed to have our first real practice run together. This is really key for us to start building our chemistry, especially since we couldn't go over our plays yesterday at Levallois...continue reading >>> permalink
Bring the 'Game 7' Intensity: DAY 18
June 18 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Photo: Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times
I don’t care who you were rooting for during today’s game, the bottom line is the same: Game 7’s are the ultimate test. The Los Angeles Lakers took a pounding all night from the Boston Celtics in an intense NBA Finals showdown between the two greatest franchises in League history. Both teams worked their butts off all night as if their lives depended on it. After being down by as many as 13 points in the 3rd quarter, the Lakers kept grinding it out and stayed in the game. Their star player Kobe Bryant struggled at the offensive end, so they had to look to their other key players (especially Pau Gasol and Ron Artest) to keep them going. Role players. Role players. Role players. By the final buzzer, the keys to the Lakers’ heroic Game 7 comeback victory were team defense, rebounding and hustle. Plain and simple.
This kind of all-out challenge for a Game 7 win in the NBA Finals is really inspiring to me personally, just as much as it was back in 1987-88 when I watched the Lakers fight for back-to-back championships. I’m still a die hard fan, and still fight with everything I’ve got to reach my goals in life. But this is important to me now, not just because I’m a lifetime Laker fan and love to see the purple and gold win. Right now, this is exactly what our RS2010 squad needs to bring in our FIRST game at Quai 54 next weekend. Game 7 intensity!!!
Don't save anything for the second round...there might not be one. Don't hold anything back... we need everything you've got. I'm trying to work on this in practice, asking the guys to play with that sense of urgency for the entire game -- no matter who we’re scrimmaging against. No mental breakdowns. No saving it for later. No fear. No holding back. Our game 1 in Paris is a game 7...
Rising, for a championship.
ジェイソン
RS2010
Meet RS2010 Sponsor "Gallery-2": DAY 13
June 13 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Just getting back from the RS2010 Official Party + Fundraiser we put on earlier tonight in Harajuku. We saw lots of good friends, family, community sponsors and supporters come out to help our team get to Paris. It was awesome to see you all there. I’ll be writing a report on that tomorrow...
Tonight, we gave everyone a first look at our new uniforms (see pic above), thanks to RS2010 sponsor Gallery-2 Sporting Goods. The shop manager, Obata-san, is a long-time friend of our Hope 81 projects. He first began helping out with donations of Gallery-2’s out-of-season jerseys/uniforms/shorts/old stock/etc., which we then delivered to Papua New Guinea schoolchildren. And when we sent a small group of Youth Sports Ambassadors to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Obata-san and Gallery-2 were there for us again -- providing custom jerseys for our players.
Since 2009, we’ve been going back to Obata for help with all our jerseys and team uniforms for the Rising Suns projects, making sure our players are fitted up with the latest (and freshest) gear. Based in the heart of Shibuya, Gallery-2 has been doing this stuff for years. Pretty much every junior high/high school player, local club team member or streetballer in Tokyo’s basketball community knows Gallery-2 is the place to go...especially for their big seasonal sales.
As you can see in the picture, this year we’re representing the authentic, original Japanese sportswear brand Mizuno. Now this is looking like a true 日本代表 team, right? Of course, its more than just having the logo. We’ve still got to bring our game to Quai 54 (not just our name!). But at the end of the day, local community support and sponsorship from Japanese brands is going to be really key for us to keep growing the dream. And Obata-san/Gallery-2 made it happen for us once again, this year. Thank you for helping us RISE!!
Now its back to work this week for more practice games, scrimmages and workouts. Seven more days to go!
ジェイソン
RS2010
'Uprising' for J-Hoops: DAY 11
June 11 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
We had our first scrimmage last night against a great local club team Giga Spirits. Before the game, I talked briefly with Giga’s head coach, Koyama-san. Really nice guy, and very kind of him to arrange a game for us before we hit Paris. Like the Rising Suns, his team is working on grassroots player development for Japanese hoops. And from what I hear, Giga Spirits have been holding down as the #1 team in Kanagawa for a while. Here’s a look at how we handled our first RS2010 exhibition game:
- The Giga three-point attack had us on our heels most of the first half. We found ourselves down by double-digits at one point.
- Before the game, I reminded our Rising Suns that it was our first chance to run as a team, and that the offense might not come yet. The main things we could do as a team were to play strong defense and rebound the basketball. And that’s exactly what we did.
- We forced 20 turnovers, and out-rebounded our smaller opponents, 40-20.
- To hang tough, and battle back against a quality team like that was a positive way to start things off.
- I know we wont see a team shoot 30 threes in a game in Paris, but at least we tested our will to win last night, and got to know each other a lot more.
After the game, I was thinking about the work Koyama-san is doing with Giga Spirits, and all the other local clubs running a similar kind of system for basketball player development here in Japan. There’s dozens (or hundreds?) of clubs, groups, teams, organizations, companies, agencies, media etc. all looking to grow basketball in Japan. Here’s some of the one’s which I’ve gotten to know and work with personally...in no particular order:
ALL DAY
SOMECITY
LEGENDS
HOOP IN THE HOOD
GYMRATS
8 LEAGUE
JAPAN SPORTS REVOLUTION (JSR)
HOOP HYSTERIA
FIVE STAR
NKS-405
FOR GAME
JAPAN BASKETBALL ACADEMY
BALL TONGUE CAFE
ED ODEVEN/JAPAN TIMES
I honestly believe this could be the structure of a new uprising in J-Hoops. With so many people organizing for action on all different levels, the next step is now for our Rising Suns team to get the win in Paris -- and then bring the global spotlight to focus on Japan’s rising basketball culture. This journey to Paris is for all J-players, streetballers, kids at the park, NBA dreamers, coaches, scouts, agents, league officials,JABBA federation heads, and Mr. Aso himself. The UPRISING is here and we’re not going away quietly...so let us know if you’d like to collaborate, from wherever you are.
Tonight, I’ll be heading down to the Somecity event Da Bash! in Kawasaki/Club Citta, to watch a few of our guys (Lono, Micky, K-TA and Kenji) represent the RS2010 squad against some local street teams. Then tomorrow, Rising Suns team captain ST will return to his old neighborhood for the Legends Stage 3 streetball event. Support the team, and support the community. Should be a fun weekend. Altogether, we are the Uprising.
***Remember: this Sunday night 6/13 @ Smoke in Harajuku, we will hold our annual party for the Rising Suns team trip to Paris. Please come have fun, and help us raise the remaining funds we need to get there***
ジェイソン
RS2010
RS2010 Tryout #3/Player Pool INFO
May 12 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
Report from RS2010 3rd Tryouts (5/4/2010):
Over the past several months, we’ve held multiple tryouts and made recruiting trips to various gyms, club teams, tournaments, etc. (in Tokyo and Osaka). The purpose was to give as many aspiring street and pro ballers in Japan a chance to get involved in this year’s trip to Paris, for the QUAI 54 International Streetball Championship. Our team motto is Represent, Japan (日本代表) so we really wanted to be true to those words. It hasn’t been easy, but we’re still growing and the process has been a lot of fun so far!
After completing the first two rounds of tryouts, it all came down to this. Despite the fact that we held the final round of tryouts during Japan’s Golden Week spring holidays, the turnout was awesome. We definitely got a look at some of the best of the best in Tokyo streetball. From ten new players at the first tryouts back in November ’09, to twenty new members at the second round in February, and an additional ten new members last week...its good to see Japan stepping up for the chance to represent @ QUAI 54. The RS 2010 Player Pool is now set at 15-20 of Japan’s young, up-and-coming ballers. Player selection will be made at the end of the month. Stay tuned for more!
For all the pics from the 3rd tryout, please visit our RS2010 Team Blog
RS2010: Countdown!
May 01 2010 Filed in: Hope 81 | Rising Suns
Japan, are you ready for this? R-I-S-I-N-G...
It’s almost time. The moment of truth is here. Bring the spirit, the passion, the hustle, and determination. Bring the energy to challenge the best teams in the world. Battle for a championship with the Rising Suns this summer in Paris. National team members, pro players, street legends: this is THE premier showcase tournament, sponsored by none other than Michael Jordan.
With only a few more days until our 3rd and FINAL tryout for the Rising Suns 2010 日本代表 team, we found this article in the Japan Times today. It features an interview with NBA-hopeful/Tochigi Brex star point guard Yuta Tabuse, who talks about the value and importance of gaining exposure to the international game. (Alright Mr. Tabuse...We’ve got the chance for you! Let us know if you’re interested in joining our team, and gaining the ultimate exposure at this legendary international basketball event. Who knows, maybe a great performance in Paris will be your chance to show NBA & Euroleague scouts that you have what it takes?)
From Japan Times (4/30/2010):
“Brex's Tabuse not ready to give up dream of making return to NBA”
By Kazu Nagatsuka
...Tabuse added that other Japanese talents shouldn't be shy about leaving their native country and testing their skills overseas.
"If there are opportunities, they should actively go," he said. "I believe that they can improve their individual skills and then they will know what they're lacking. Unless you take that action, you don't get that."
If Japanese players are looking to gain experience against the best players in the world, then THIS is your chance! There’s still time for you to join next week’s tryouts, so let us know if you’re ready to make the journey to QUAI 54 this summer. Remember: this is YOUR chance of a lifetime.
日本代表
Rising Suns: Represent, Japan!
It’s almost time. The moment of truth is here. Bring the spirit, the passion, the hustle, and determination. Bring the energy to challenge the best teams in the world. Battle for a championship with the Rising Suns this summer in Paris. National team members, pro players, street legends: this is THE premier showcase tournament, sponsored by none other than Michael Jordan.
With only a few more days until our 3rd and FINAL tryout for the Rising Suns 2010 日本代表 team, we found this article in the Japan Times today. It features an interview with NBA-hopeful/Tochigi Brex star point guard Yuta Tabuse, who talks about the value and importance of gaining exposure to the international game. (Alright Mr. Tabuse...We’ve got the chance for you! Let us know if you’re interested in joining our team, and gaining the ultimate exposure at this legendary international basketball event. Who knows, maybe a great performance in Paris will be your chance to show NBA & Euroleague scouts that you have what it takes?)
From Japan Times (4/30/2010):
“Brex's Tabuse not ready to give up dream of making return to NBA”
By Kazu Nagatsuka
...Tabuse added that other Japanese talents shouldn't be shy about leaving their native country and testing their skills overseas.
"If there are opportunities, they should actively go," he said. "I believe that they can improve their individual skills and then they will know what they're lacking. Unless you take that action, you don't get that."
If Japanese players are looking to gain experience against the best players in the world, then THIS is your chance! There’s still time for you to join next week’s tryouts, so let us know if you’re ready to make the journey to QUAI 54 this summer. Remember: this is YOUR chance of a lifetime.
日本代表
Rising Suns: Represent, Japan!
Rising Suns Tryout#2: Report
March 11 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns
Now that we’ve reached the mid-way point of our 2010 Rising Suns campaign, this is a good opportunity to stop and reflect a bit on how our team is shaping up...
If you want to skip ahead to the Japanese/日本語 report (with more pictures) go to our Rising Suns team blog.
First of all, just to comment on a few things about building a Japanese national team representation:
Our returning team captain Shuji Takei (ST) has continued to provide Hope 81 with awesome leadership and his professionalism, dedication and commitment have been great to build around. ST represents our team values 100%, on and off the court. Running team workouts, keeping up communication between the players and our Rising Suns management (in English and Japanese), and working tirelessly to build a stronger team for 2010. It seems he truly understands the significance of this opportunity to represent Japan on the world stage in Paris -- having played last year and experiencing the magnitude of QUAI 54 first-hand. Perhaps others haven’t realized it yet, but this could be the biggest chance many of our local Japanese players will see in their lifetime. Its time to step up and represent, Japan! This is your chance.
As for tryouts, our 2nd round was held here in Tokyo last month, and the turnout we had was very encouraging. Here are a few things to grow from:
1) We doubled the number of participants from our 1st round of tryouts back in November, so we’re definitely happy that more people are beginning to understand what the Rising Suns player development program is all about.
2) It was great to have some of Tokyo’s toughest players come out and earn their chance to represent Japan @ QUAI 54 in Paris. Guys that we’ve been watching in local street leagues like Legends or Somecity, and players from local club teams. We know they can play, but now they’ve got to show us the heart and hustle, and battle for a spot on the team. This is what its all about...skills development. Nobody said it would be easy!
3) With our RS2010 ‘Player Pool’ system, players selected from the tryouts will be given a chance to participate in weekly workouts, special training sessions, exhibition games, etc. and prove that they deserve a spot on our RS2010 日本代表 squad. *Those players have already been notified, so now its time to run.
The countdown has begun...we’ve got a little less than four months to go until the QUAI 54 2010 International Streetball Championships. The excitement is growing and we’re getting pumped for our second visit to Paris! Its time to shift into overdrive, and push beyond expectations. This is our chance. Our challenge. Our championship.
Life, Basketball and Japan
March 02 2010 Filed in: Rising Suns | Hope 81
When I speak about Hope 81, people often ask me why Japan? To me, its sort of a no-brainer. I love my life here! But I guess the idea of a guy from California launching a nonprofit organization in Japan might seem a bit out-of-the-ordinary (or intriguing) to some, so the question deserves a better answer than that. Sometimes my answer turns into a long story of academic discourse, overlapping with personal anecdotes and so many twists and turns. I wish I had a 30-second version. Trust me -- I’m working on it. For now, here’s a special blog entry to give you a better idea.
Continue reading >>>
More than a Game
February 18 2010 Filed in: Hope 81
Watch this trailer about Lebron James and his rise to the top of the basketball world. Well, almost...he’s still waiting to get that first championship ring in the NBA, but no doubt he’ll get there one day. The documentary looks at the game of basketball as a way to move up through adversity, and build positive relationships in life, family, business, and everything else. Many of us have been inspired to work toward a better life from a basic passion for the game. In that sense, the movie really hits home on many levels. Basketball is part of the inspiration behind Hope 81, as well.
Now we know that playing professional basketball is a common dream for kids all over the world. And we know many of our young players here in Japan are fighting to reach the top. What the world may not realize is that basketball is one of, if not the most popular sports in Japan. The media here doesn’t make a big deal about it though, unfortunately. Basketball is one of the most heavily played and least heavily watched Japanese sports. Maybe one easy solution is to do more grassroots videos and utilize social media to promote Japan’s hoop scene. The Clutch Times online news source is doing its part to promote the sport, and guys like Ed Odeven at the Japan Times are doing theirs, day in and day out. But maybe we need a 24-hour hoops channel, streaming all access footage, interviews, and just pumping up the game, period. Pushing players to reach for their dreams, because if anything, they will know someone is watching and their performance matters. Lebron and his high school team were being watched by ESPN, Sports Illustrated, NBA scouts, at 17 years old...and look how they responded.
I guess in order to have that kind of ‘media push’ on real TV, it will take a breakthrough Japanese player dominant enough to stick in the NBA. Watching this movie should just make Japanese players hungrier for that moment of their own, shouldn’t it? This summer, we’ll have a chance to show the world how hungry our 2010 Rising Suns team members are, at the QUAI 54 International Streetball Championships in Paris.
And don’t forget, we’ve got our own story going here in Tokyo.
Look out for our complete RS2009 documentary DVD, available this spring!
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81 things to know
February 14 2010 Filed in: Hope 81
Well, not that many! Here’s five things you should know about the number 81...
#5. The name of a famous Japanese fable = 'The 81 Brothers'
#4. The month, day and year MTV launched its first programming (08.01.1981)
#3. Legendary singer and revolutionary hero Bob Marley passed away in 1981
#2. NBA All-Star & 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Kobe Bryant scored 81 points in a single NBA game
#1. The international calling code for our organization’s home base (+81) = Japan!
If you can think of any more, post it in the comments below!