Many Chiba Jets players made a contribution in capturing the All-Japan Championship title on Monday, but Tyler Stone was one of the biggest "difference makers" for their Emperor's Cup-winning run.
The 25-year-old is listed as a power forward on the roster and he can play near the basket with his size. But Stone's versatility also makes him an outside player who can create mismatches against the opposition with his ball-handling, shooting and drive-in skills coming off the bench as well.
"Coach (Atsushi Ono) gives me a lot of freedom to just play basketball," said Stone, who joined the Japanese club this year, after the Jets' 88-66 win over the Kawasaki Brave Thunders in the men's final. "So that's what I do. I try to get my teammates involved and stay aggressive, that's what we like to do, aggressiveness. So I just try to do whatever I can to give my teammates energy and push ourselves all the time."