Basketball player Yuki Togashiinterview
◆Yuki Togashi (basketball player/Chiba Jets Funabashi)
《profile》
Born in 1993, from Niigata Prefecture. He is a member of the B League Chiba Jets Funabashi. His position is point guard. Since starting his professional career in 2012, he has achieved spectacular results, including winning the Rookie of the Year award and signing a contract with an NBA team. In the ’20-’21 season, he led the team to their first ever B League championship as captain. He participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics in 2021 and the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 in 2023, playing an active role as a key player. He is 167cm tall.
What is the basketball ace’s thoughts on the Paris Olympics?
He is determined to make a leap forward in the basketball world as the culmination of his career.
On September 2, 2023, a new chapter in the history of Japanese sports opened.
“Personally, I thought it was quite meaningful for the Japanese basketball world to continue participating in the Olympics.
I had a fair amount of confidence, but I remember feeling relieved the moment I was selected to participate.”
Yuki Togashi, one of Japan’s best point guards, talks honestly about how he felt when he earned the right to participate in the Olympics, something he had been unable to do on his own for over 40 years.
Speaking of Togashi, he has turned his petite size of 167 cm, which would normally be his weakness, into a weapon, and has faced and outclassed larger opponents with his outstanding speed, high-percentage shots, and above all, his strong will.
Time spent with friends during the long training camp period
“The World Cup had a long training camp, and we had a lot of time to communicate with the players around us.I think it would have been good if we were heading in the same direction as a team.
I usually eat meals with the players. I ate out with Yuta (Watanabe) almost every day, but Hiejima (Shin), Hara (Shuta), and Baba (Yudai) would come over from time to time, and the younger members Kawamura (Yuki) and Tominaga (Keio) would come over. I took him with me…” and it can be seen that he was naturally leading the team even during his off time.
“Even if the chance is 1%, the current national team has the ability to pull out victory.”
The excitement of the “World Cup” and the next “Olympic Games”
After the turbulent World Cup ended, photos of him watching the NBA in America were posted on social media.
“(Hachimura) Rui also called out to me and said, “That’s good.”
I’m sure there are many athletes who have watched the excitement around the World Cup and have a strong desire to compete in the next Olympics, so I want to do my best so that I can wear the national team uniform again.
The player I am personally looking forward to is Ren Kanechika, who plays for the same team in the B League. I know that he is disappointed because he was left out of the national team at the last minute for the World Cup, so I am doing everything I can to tell him that I want him to try without being afraid of making mistakes.”
The most important thing is to “maintain mental health”
This time, the film crew closely followed the team’s practice, and what surprised them was how calmly they were without fear, even when faced with bigger and bigger players. Do you ever get defensive during a match? When I asked him, he answered simply, “No.”
“This is true of all sports, but I think the most important thing is to maintain your mental health. Of course, you need a minimum level of skill, but your mental health really has a big impact on your play, so you have to try not to lose confidence. I am.
Basketball is a team sport, so even if I’m at fault, I don’t think it’s my fault alone, and I feel the same way about my teammates. I try my best not to feel too much stress, pressure, and responsibility.”
This is how he developed his cool play style and unwavering spirit.
Going to the Paris Olympics with confidence from the World Cup
Togashi will turn 31 this year, an age that is considered a “veteran” in the basketball world. He sees the Paris Olympics as the culmination of his national team career.
“Germany and Australia were the two countries we lost to in the World Cup, but all the countries participating in the Paris Olympics were at this level.Honestly, I don’t think Japan will be able to compete on an equal footing unless they raise their level by at least three levels. I am.
But we are also confident that we were able to win three times in the World Cup. With this confidence in my heart, I want to start by defeating a team in the top 10 and change the world.”
From Oggi March 2024 “Strong Presence”
Photography/ISAC (SIGNO) Composition/Mami Osugi
Reconstruction/Oggi.jp Editorial Department
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2024-03-02 12:46:42
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