Intermittent hullabaloo by the Japan Basketball Association's big wigs about "big plans" for the future of men's basketball generally produces one thing: a collective yawn by those who analyze such things.
Can you blame them?
The sport here is in a state of perpetual chaos, fueled by dysfunction and petty squabbles among the old-boy network and various factions. Based on this reality, it's no surprise Japan has failed to quality for the Summer Olympics in men's basketball since 1976. And failed to develop a system that gives aspiring Japanese pros a realistic shot at reaching the NBA.