Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe have proven there is a path from Japan to the basketball mountaintop that is the NBA, giving hope to up-and-coming players, like Chikara Tanaka, aiming to scale similar heights.
The 19-year-old's journey — from Japan to Florida, back to Japan, then to Hawaii, Utah and now California — has had more twists and turns than he would like, but if nothing else, it has prepared him for the cutthroat world of pro hoops.
Tanaka received an offer from the Pac-12's Utah Utes last fall, but lost his spot when the NCAA Division I Council approved an extension that granted all players an extra year due to the pandemic-altered season. The change allowed some seniors to stay with the team, which took away open roster spots.