Without drastic changes in the way it operates — and stuck with a mentality that is out of date with current reality — the Japan Basketball Association (JBA) will continue to be a deterrent to success and progress in men's and boys basketball at all levels.
The latest embarrassment — Japan's 86-67 defeat to South Korea in the FIBA Asia Championship quarterfinals on Friday in Wuhan, China, a game South Korea led from start to finish, only two days after China led from start to finish against Thomas Wisman's club — is a reminder that Japan often faces an uphill (impossible) battle before the contest even begins.
Japan has failed to qualify for the Olympics again; the last time it did was for the 1976 Montreal Summer Games.