Hachimura is front and center as Japan announce final roster for FIBA Basketball World Cup

TOKYO (Japan) - Prized young forward Rui Hachimura will undoubtedly be the driving force for Japan's final roster at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 in China.

The 21-year-old Toyama Prefecture sensation headlines the Akatsuki Five's final list at the biggest stage of international basketball, where the Japanese find themselves in the same group as European sides Turkey and Czech Republic as well as defending champions Team USA. 

Hachimura will be the main barometer for Japan's success at the World Cup, but he'll also need a lot of help from the likes of fellow NBA talent Yuta Watanabe.

The 6ft 9in (2.06m) 24-year-old Watanabe is the perfect complement to Hachimura. Whereas the Washington Wizard rookie is a beast in the low block and mid-range, Watanabe feasts on the perimeter and is a defensive dynamo with his length and timing.

Naturalized big man Nick Fazekas will be a key contributor, too, given his ability to score in bunches against any kind of defense thrown his way. He averaged 27.2 points and 12.5 rebounds per game in the Asian Qualifiers, and though he likely won't be able to duplicate that at the World Cup, his production will still be a significant factor in how far Japan will go.

National team mainstays like Makoto Hiejima, Daiki Tanaka, Ryusei Shinoyama and Yudai Baba also made it to the final roster, and their collective talents will round out Japan's fortunes. Of that group, it's the high-flying Baba who has the most tantalizing potential, and if he can find his rhythm early, Japan will be a serious threat to advance past the Group Phase.

On the other side of the spectrum are relatively new names to the national squad - Seiya and Shuto Ando as well as frontliner Avo Koki Schafer. With their selections, coach Julio Lamas is likely building up for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and when they co-host the next FIBA Basketball World Cup in 2023.

Interestingly enough, two players who are still around made their debut the last time Japan appeared at the World Cup, which was way back in 2006 when they hosted it. These two are the Takeuchi twins - Kosuke and Joji. Joining this year's team completes the 'full circle' of their international basketball journey.

FIBA