The Earthfriends Tokyo Z are trying to blaze a trail in the B. League with the signing of 18-year-old Kaine Roberts.
Roberts, a guard who was born to a Japanese mother and American father, will be making his professional debut — sort of. Because he wants to retain his eligibility to compete at the collegiate level in the United States, Roberts won't receive a salary.
“It’s big that we’ve found a way to let a player compete in a pro league and then go to the NCAA,” Earthfriends head coach Shunsuke Todo said during Roberts' online introductory news conference on Thursday, a few weeks after the club officially announced the signing.