Preseason action will be in full swing over the next few weeks as teams get the opportunity to measure themselves — strengths, weaknesses, individual matchups — against opposing teams. And that’s where coaches will have their first real chance to evaluate what adjustments to ...

Now entering his third season in charge of the Akita Northern Happinets, septuagenarian sideline supervisor Kazuo Nakamura’s influence goes far beyond his current team. Nakamura’s proteges are working throughout the bj-league, with three of them serving as head coaches in the 21-team circuit: Ryuji ...

The Houston Rockets’ Twin Towers — Ralph Sampson and Hakeem Olajuwon — helped pave the way for the team’s trip to the 1986 NBA Finals. The Boston Celtics, the superior squad, won the series, but the big men were instrumental in Houston’s success that ...

Entering its ninth season, which tips off in October, the bj-league has never been in worse shape. It has grown too big, too quickly and its overall mismanagement — especially at the league office, but also with many teams — has reached epic proportions. ...

Osaka Evessa president Motofumi Iguchi has been forced to resign without ever presiding over a game, The Japan Times has learned. An announcement is expected after the Bon holiday period. The Evessa team offices are closed this week. Iguchi’s unprecedented departure due to “philosophical ...

The Shinshu Brave Warriors endured back-to-back losing seasons in 2011-12 and 2012-13 as the franchise got established. There were growing pains, coaching changes (Motofumi Aoki, Takatoshi Ishibashi), injury setbacks (Wayne Marshall) and a lot of ups and downs. Now, under new coach Ryuji Kawai, ...

Power forward Joe Werner, one of the top newcomers in the bj-league last season, will return for another go-round in Japan. But the Chiba Jets, the team he helped carry into the playoffs while averaging 19.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game, are no ...