This season was undoubtedly the most special of forward Yuta Watanabe's three-year career after he earned a regular contract with the Toronto Raptors in late April.
But the 26-year-old knows he'll have no time to rest on his laurels if he wants to secure a spot on next season's roster as well.
“I was able to receive a regular contract later in the season, which was one of the things that I’d wanted to accomplish,” Watanabe told Japanese media representatives in an online news conference Friday, a few days after Toronto wrapped up its season. “But it’s just a waypoint for me. I can’t relax because I haven’t been given any guarantees for next year. I think I need to continue to battle.”