Basketball: Suns’ Watanabe joins Japan teammates in World Cup camp

Phoenix Suns swingman Yuta Watanabe trained with the Japanese men’s national team for the first time in around a year Sunday in preparation for the FIBA Basketball World Cup tipping off on Aug. 25.

Japan is co-hosting the World Cup alongside the Philippines and Indonesia, with head coach Tom Hovasse’s team set to battle Germany, Finland and Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Australia in Group E at Okinawa Arena.

The 28-year-old Watanabe, expected to shoulder much of Japan’s scoring load in the absence of fellow NBA player Rui Hachimura, expressed excitement after joining his prospective national t...