Guard Cohey Aoki starred for the Tokyo Apache from the league's inception until the team folded in 2011. He then spent a season with the Osaka Evessa, then returned to the capital city to be the Tokyo Cinq Reves' signature star last season.

Now, Aoki is a key performer for his hometown Rizing Fukuoka.

When the season started, there was a void in the Tokyo backcourt and an opportunity for a Japanese standout to emerge.