When the 2013-14 season tips off in October, three head coaches are expected to be in charge of the same Western Conference teams from the get-go for a third straight season.
That fraternity of three is comprised of Kenzo Maeda of the Takamatsu Five Arrows, Al Westover of the Shiga Lakestars and Yukinori Suzuki of the Oita HeatDevils. Westover's return has not been formally announced yet.
Maeda was handed a one-year contract last week after helping Takamatsu rebound from a disastrous 2-50 campaign in 2011-12. The Five Arrows went 20-32 in his second season at the helm.