Kyoto Hannaryz star Wendell White, the 2009-10 bj-league MVP who led the Hamamatsu Higashimikawa Phoenix to a championship, has been released, the team announced Monday.
Like several American players, White's departure after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and Fukushima nuclear plant crisis has been cited as due to fears over the ongoing situation.
The ex-UNLV standout is the bj-league's fifth-leading scorer (19.4 points) and is tied for ninth in rebounds (9.9) in 40 games.
His stellar season featured a 45-point masterpiece, including 18-for-21 from 2-point range, against the Rizing Fukuoka on Dec. 26. The Hannaryz (22-18) are currently in fifth place in the nine-team Western Conference.
Now, they prepare for the season's stretch run without a vocal leader, stellar defender and veteran with a knack for hitting big shots from anywhere on the court.