TOKYO (Japan) - Mai Yamamoto has steadily become one of Japan’s brightest basketball talents. This is relatively impressive for the point guard considering how the talent pool is at that position for AKATSUKI JAPAN.
Now, she has a chance to stamp her status as one of the best once again after getting an opportunity in the form of a training camp contract with the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.
"I've wanted to play in the WNBA since I was in high school, so although my roster hasn't been finalized yet, I'm very happy to have been given this opportunity as the first step," said Yamamoto in Japanese in a live Youtube Broadcast on the YouTube channel "Toyota Times Sports" on February 7th.
Known for her crisp ball-handling skills, playmaking abilities, scoring prowess, and display of passion on the court, Yamamoto has been a key figure for Japan in recent years.
She only made her senior national team debut in 2021 as a champion at the Women's Asia Cup and has been a regular on the team since.
Her performances speak for themselves. Yamamoto delivered standout displays at the FIBA Women's Asia Cup 2023, where she averaged 10.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 5.2 assists per game as Japan made it to the Final for a 6th consecutive time. She's also played in the Women's World Cup in 2022 and recently at the Paris Olympics last year, emerging as a scorer for the squad.
Her shining efforts on the international stage has led her to this opportunity with the Dallas Wings. Should she secure a roster spot, Yamamoto would join an elite group of Japanese women to compete in the WNBA, following other trailblazers Yuko Oga, Mikiko Hagiwara, Ramu Tokashiki, and Rui Machida.
In the "Toyota Times Sports" live broadcast, Yamamoto mentioned conversing with the legendary Yuko Oga who not only played in the WNBA with the Phoenix Mercury in 2008 but is also her current head coach with Toyota Antelopes in the W League.
"[The USA] is a world of skill, so the first thing that's important is to be able to show how much I can play in a different environment like that, so I want to challenge myself to be able to show myself, as well as communicate. I'm not very good at (showing myself), but that's something I need to change, so I hope I can grow in that area as well," said Yamamoto.
However, even with this looming opportunity ahead, Yamamoto's focus still remains with her current club as they have six games left to play in the regular season.
The Antelopes are currently at 5th place in the standings with an 8-14 record in the W League. In the previous W League season, the Fujitsu Red Wave were crowned champions and earned a spot at the inaugural Women's Basketball League Asia in 2024 where they finished as runners-up.
"… the remaining six games are very important for us, so I want to focus on those games first and do my best as a team," Yamamoto also said.
Yamamoto’s journey symbolizes Japan’s continuously rising influence not only in the women's basketball world, but the basketball world in general. This next step in her career is highly anticipated as fans watch her aim to inspire the next generation of Japanese athletes. Moreover, it could only help strengthen the chances of Japan maintaining their dominance on the women's basketball scene - especially at the upcoming Women's Asia Cup in Shenzhen this year.
FIBA