After decades of stagnation and instability, Japan men's basketball is finally headed in the right direction.
As the B. League marks the third anniversary since its founding, the nation's interest in one marquee game on May 11, the last day of its third season, highlighted the progress that the sport has made in a relatively short period of time. As a result, the B. League Championship final symbolizes what this new era represents: a sport governed by unity and a commitment to improving the product at all levels.
To reach this point, bold, painful steps were needed.