Before the 2018–2019 season began, NBA opening rosters featured 108 international players from a record-tying 42 countries. Dirk Nowitzki and Tony Parker, though, have announced their respective retirements, and followed Manu Ginobli’s farewell in 2018. Nevertheless, the league will likely see more international players next season. One of the latest recruits is Rui Hachimura, a member of the Japanese national team and the latest addition to the Washington Wizards’ roster. If so, he would be one of only three Asians in the big league (assuming Jeremy Lin is signed by any team and Yuta Watanabe is called up from the G League by the Memphis Grizzlies).
That only three Asians might be playing in the NBA next season is surprising given the continent’s size and population. So, in this article we will examine the Asian basketball landscape to see if other Asian players could make the big leap in the next few years.
Wang Zhelin
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Despite being drafted by the Grizzlies in the 2016 NBA Draft, the 7-foot Wang has remained in China’s CBA. He fits the mold of the modern NBA big man in that he is mobile and skilled. This is why there are now talks to bring the 25-year-old prospect to Memphis, which is now in full rebuild mode. Wang projects to be a valuable backup to Lithuanian center Jonas Valančiūnas, and a good complement to Grizzlies building block Jaren Jackson, Jr.
Kai Sotto
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Sotto is arguably the best prospect to come out of the Philippines, as the 7-1 17-year-old has both size and youth on his side. Like Wang, the much-younger Sotto is also skilled and mobile, and has shown he has a good touch on the court. The son of a former pro in his native land, Sotto isn’t NBA-ready at the moment, but coming to the US to train will certainly help his cause.
Kevin Zhang
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The Shenyang-born Zhang might just be China’s next big thing. The still-in-his-teens 6-9 swingman came to the US in 2013, beginning what ESPN has called a pioneering basketball journey. It’s a journey that has seen Zhang become “one of the best Chinese-born high school players in America in a while,” according to recruiting expert Paul Biancardi. The young prodigy played high school basketball for La Lumiere before heading to Tulane, where he averaged 6.5 points as a freshman. Zhang looks set to break out for the Green Wave this year, and doing so will get him a step closer to the NBA.
Tyler Lamb
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The 6-foot-5 Thai-American guard is a silky smooth shooter, having averaged 3 triples in each of his last two ABL seasons. The fact that he can defend multiple positions is a plus, too. He projects as an off-the-bench 3-and-D, in the same way as Jared Dudley. If he continues to play well expect to see him in the NBA in the near future.
Johnny Juzang
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Juzang is Vietnamese-American, and is already highly regarded in the US with scouts picking up on his talent. A strong showing for Kentucky this season will cement his status as an NBA prospect.
The growth of basketball in Asia
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Basketball is growing in Asia, and the NBA’s global popularity has been crucial to this growth. The world’s biggest league is making inroads in the continent, with China now the NBA’s second largest market outside of the US. Now, the NBA has its sights on Southeast Asia, with the league working on making the Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand its next big markets. “Basketball in Southeast Asia has never been greater and it is growing rapidly,” notes NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO Mark Tatum. The rise of the ASEAN Basketball League, now entering its 10th season, is testament to this rapid growth.
Also driving basketball’s popularity in the continent is sports betting, which, while illegal in many Asian countries, continues to thrive. The Asia Gaming Brief reports that sports betting is in high demand among Asian fans, many of whom are following the NBA. The site notes that it is only second to the English Premier League in terms of betting popularity. An Expat Bets guide to sports betting in Thailand notes how there is a ban on any form of betting in the country, and yet many are still placing bets online. This trend will likely continue in Thailand and other Asian countries if the NBA features more homegrown players and continues to increase its profile in the region.
It’s a good thing then that scouts from the NBA’s 30 teams know how to find talent anywhere in the world, including in Gabon (Stephane Lasme), Cuba (Lazaro Borell), and New Zealand (Steven Adams). So, it won’t be a surprise if more Asians make that NBA leap in the coming years, starting with the five players above.
