What has been expected for many months is now official: Makoto Hasegawa is set to retire after this season, the Akita Sakigake Shimpo and other media outlets reported on Tuesday, Hasegawa's 42nd birthday.
The veteran point guard, who has only appeared in eight games and logged 32 minutes of court time this season, has been a well-known face in the bj-league since its inception in 2005.
He played for the Niigata Albirex BB from 2002, when it was in the JBL, until joining his home prefecture's team in 2010, when it entered the bj-league. He has been a mentor for the team's younger players, a playing manager and a key figure in bringing corporate sponsors on board for the Eastern Conference club.