Basketball: Watanabe, Hachimura gunning for title in new NBA season

Japanese national team stars Yuta Watanabe of the Phoenix Suns and Rui Hachimura of the Los Angeles Lakers both voiced their championship aspirations on Monday ahead of the start of the NBA season later in October.

Fresh from helping co-host Japan secure 2024 Olympic men’s basketball qualification at the FIBA World Cup in August and September, the 28-year-old Watanabe was bullish about Phoenix’s prospects at Suns media day on Monday.

The Suns, losing finalists in 2020-2021, are expected to contend for their first title under the leadership of a “big three” comprising stars Kevin Durant, Devin ...