“Give people joy and fun through basketball with Rakuten”
Rakuten Group Co., Ltd., which operates “Rakuten Sports”, which develops businesses to support athletes globally, announced that it will support the management activities of Kai Toews of Shiga Lakes and King Kai of Yokohama B-Corsairs.
Currently 23 years old, Taves is from Hyogo prefecture and is a point guard of 188 cm 85 kg. He dropped out of Toyo University Keihoku High School and moved to the United States in the summer of high school 2 to join NCAA Division 1 at North Carolina State University Wilmington with a scholarship. He played 29 games as a mainstay in his first year, and he averaged 7.7 assists, second overall in NCAA Division 1. During his second season, he decided to drop out of college in search of a higher level and joined Utsunomiya Brex as a specially designated player. He won the rookie of the year in the 2020-21 season and helped Utsunomiya win the league last season with an average playtime of 18.6 minutes, 5.8 points and 3.0 assists.
And now, he has left Utsunomiya and announced that he will belong to Shiga. In addition, he will be convened by a candidate for the Japanese national team to participate in the World Cup qualifying Window 3 the other day, and will also participate in the Asia Cup 2022, which will start on July 12.
The Taves has made the following comments regarding the partnership. “We have signed a partnership in support of the thoughts and efforts of’Rakuten Sports’. As a basketball player, we aim to be a player who can give people joy and fun through basketball with Rakuten. I will continue to do my utmost to contribute to the further development of Japanese basketball. Thank you for your continued support. “
Currently 22 years old, King is from Kanagawa prefecture and is a point guard and shooting guard of 185 cm 83 kg. He has been on the Yokohama BC youth team since 2014 and has since played at Senshu University. She has been in rotation since the first year at Senshu University, and has experienced two runner-ups in Incare in her four years at school. If you join Yokohama BC as a trainee before the start of the 2020-21 season, you will be promoted to a specially designated player at the beginning of the year and will participate in 6 games. He signed a contract with Yokohama BC after the end of last year’s incarnation, played 35 games last season, and recorded 4.8 points and 1.6 rebounds with an average play time of 15.4 minutes. He is a player who has the strength and deciding power of the core to decide the shot even if it becomes off-balance from a sharp drive under the goal, and can participate from the bench and change the flow of the game.
“I am very honored to have been given such an opportunity. I have been playing basketball with the idea that I want to give energy and courage to the fans who have been supporting me for a long time.” I would like to give this to Rakuten and as many people as possible. And I would like to continue to grow as a player and as a person. Thank you for your continued support, “King commented. Has announced.
Rakuten has signed partnerships with the NBA and the Warriors, and has made various efforts through partnerships with NBA star Stephen Curry. In “Rakuten Sports”, Yuki Kawamura of Yokohama BC, Yudai Baba who is aiming for NBA challenge, and Rui Machida who is playing at WNBA’s Washington Mystics from this season will support management. Through his activities, he has built a network in the basketball and sports world at home and abroad.
“Rakuten Sports” will provide support through media appearances and sponsorship contracts with the aim of supporting the branding activities of Taves and King in Japan and overseas. It has also been announced that the agent companies of both athletes will continue to manage the competition.
