Japan's new sheriff is Tominaga Keisei: Ready to set the world alight
Locked and loaded, the "Japanese Steph Curry" is firing warning shots to Germany, Finland and Australia - and poised for a breakout tournament in Okinawa for the co-hosts.
Basketball
With each game for the national team, everything is getting bigger for Tominaga Keisei, the prized shooter of Japanese men’s basketball.
The media following. The headlines. Fans in Tominaga shirts. The cheers from the crowd and of course, the performances.
We are witnessing the birth of a bona fide star who could potentially generate major buzz at the FIBA World Cup 2023 for the co-hosts.
Japan can be a cruel country for athletes at times, overhyping them and then ruthlessly discarding them if the hype is not met.
But make no mistake, Tominaga’s touch is the real deal.
“He’s an unbelievable shooter,” Japan head coach Tom Hovasse said to Olympics.com of the 22-year-old lefty, who will be entering his senior year at the University of Nebraska after the World Cup.
“I really want to use his gravity. We can get other actions outside that, and he’s a next-level shooter. He really is.
“And that’s why we’ve got to figure out how to use that gravity. We’ve got the speed. If they over-rotate we can cut and do different things.
“He can be pretty special. He’s still young. He has to prove it.”
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Tominaga Keisei: On fire
And Tominaga has proven it this week. In friendlies against France and Angola, he dropped back-to-back 20-point games in slightly more than 20 minutes.
Japan will take on Germany, Finland and Australia in the first round at the World Cup. Not an easy group.
Japan's goal is to finish as the top Asian team at the tournament to secure a quota at next year's Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Tominaga made ten 3s in the France and Angola games combined, while connecting under pressure from deep, deep downtown - the kind of range which has earned him the nickname the “Japanese Steph Curry.”
Already a legend of sorts, a cult hero in Nebraska, Tominaga - a 3x3 Olympian at Tokyo 2020 - is showing his game translates to the world level.
A sign of respect, France - one of the favourites at this World Cup - had a hand in his face throughout their 88-70 win on Thursday (18 August) but Tominaga still held up his end of the bargain. And that was with Japan missing their best player, Watanabe Yuta, due to a sprained ankle.
“It’s given me confidence. I know firsthand now I can hold my own at the top level,” he said after the France game. “We’ve been telling ourselves we’re the underdogs and we have nothing to lose.”
Rudy Gobert & Co. knew who Tominaga was on Thursday night.
This summer, Tominaga entertained the thought of trying to make the jump to the NBA, taking part in pre-draft workouts with the Indiana Pacers.
He decided to return to Nebraska for a final season in the end, choosing to further hone his game modeled after his idol Curry.
Tominaga added 10 kilograms to his 1.88-metre frame during his junior year and after draining 400 shots a day, the results have been visible.
“In the past year, I like to think I’ve been able to up my physical game, my defense a lot,” he said. “Compared to a year ago, I’m much better in those departments.
“My job is to shoot 3s and I need to be aggressive about it. I’ve been told my movement off the ball has gotten a lot better.
“My first year at Nebraska, I couldn’t play the way I wanted to and really felt the need to improve my physical game. It started to show in my second year. My game expanded.”
Whether it will expand enough for Tominaga to join Curry in the NBA remains to be seen but so far, so good.
If Tominaga stands out at this World Cup - especially with Rui Hachimura opting to pass and watching afar from sunny Los Angeles - his stock could jump ahead of next year’s draft.
Asked if Tominaga has what it takes to cut it in the NBA, Hovasse said, “Offensively, for sure. But the NBA’s just a different animal.
“What he’s really improved upon is his off-ball movement. He’s really gotten better at that. He really looks like Curry and the Nebraska coaches helped him with that, too.”
The curtain is about to go up on the Tominaga Show. Take your seats.