The Japan Basketball Association announced on Friday that former star guard Kenichi Sako has been hired as an assistant coach for the men's national team.

Sako stepped down from his head coaching position with the Hiroshima Dragonflies of the B. League second division last month after the team's attempt to get promoted to the first division fell short.

As a player, the 46-year-old was dubbed "Mr. Basketball," and he had an impressive track record of success in Japan. Sako led the Isuzu Giga Cats and Aisin SeaHorses (predecessor of the SeaHorses Mikawa) to 11 Japan Basketball League championships and was a three-time league MVP (1995, 1996, and 2000).