Takuya Kawamura, a shooting guard who became the first Japanese high school player to sign a professional contract, announced his retirement from the sport on September 21, according to announcements published across regional sports outlets. At 40 years old, the 193-centimeter, 90-kilogram shooting guard officially concludes a professional career spanning more than 19 years across the domestic landscape, including stints in the B.LEAGUE.
A Historic Debut and National Impact
Born in Iwate Prefecture and developing his game through Morioka Minami High School, Kawamura stepped straight from high school into the professional ranks in 2005 with OSG Phoenix (now known as the San-en NeoPhoenix), according to reports from Basket-Count. That move marked an unprecedented milestone as the first time a Japanese player signed a professional contract straight out of high school.
Over the next two decades, Kawamura’s career spanned multiple franchises and major developmental milestones. Following his initial years with the Phoenix, he experienced a stint pursuing opportunities tied to the NBA while continuing to anchor domestic squads. During his four-year tenure with the Link Tochigi Brecks (now the Utsunomiya Brecks), Kawamura captured one league championship while claiming the league’s scoring title on three separate occasions. His career journey later took him to the Wakayama Trians and Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Dolphins Nagoya (now the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins).
Transition into the B.LEAGUE Era
When the B.LEAGUE launched, Kawamura transitioned his talents directly to the Yokohama B-Corsairs, according to Yahoo News Japan. His veteran presence subsequently guided him through several additional stops in the top and second tiers of Japanese basketball.
He played for the SeaHorses Mikawa during the 2019-20 season before moving down to B2 with the Nishinomiya Storks (now the Kobe Storks) for the 2021-22 campaign. In February 2022, Kawamura joined the Niigata Albirex BB initially as a training player before agreeing to a full contract in March. A subsequent injury limited his availability, leading to his departure just two months later and a brief period working as a B.LEAGUE television analyst. He returned to Niigata ahead of the 2024-25 season and played through the conclusion of that campaign before his departure was formally announced this past May.
Reflections on a 20-Year Career
In a statement released via his personal social media channels, Kawamura expressed deep gratitude for the path he carved out since arriving on the professional stage as a 19-year-old.
“Looking back to when I was 19 years old, I jumped into this world knowing nothing about professional basketball or general society,” Kawamura said in his statement, as translated in regional reports. “It is a severe world where one cannot survive on curiosity and fighting spirit alone. There, I learned a ‘spirit of rebellion’ and a ‘feeling of gratitude’ that had not yet sprouted within me.”
He continued: “Even if there was no path there, I laid my own rails and moved forward step by step. Looking back now, I am once again reminded of how happy this career of more than 20 years has been. To my teammates who fought alongside me, the front office staff who supported us, and the fans and boosters who continued to send cheers no matter what—without my encounters with all of you, I would not exist today.”
Looking Beyond the Playing Court
While the veteran guard confirmed that his days competing on the hardwood have come to a close, he emphasized that his connection to the game remains unbroken.
“The journey as professional basketball player Takuya Kawamura ends here,” Kawamura stated. “However, life walking alongside basketball does not end. From the bottom of my heart, I hope that many happinesses will visit all of you who love basketball as dearly as I do. To everyone who has walked with me for a long time, thank you truly for everything.”
