Marty Gordon
Radford University’s international player Ibu Yamazaki seems to be headed to Japan’s National Men’s Team camp. Sources at RU say the rising sophomore will aim to be selected for the 12-member squad, which will play in the Asian Games in September and eventually the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the camp will be held June 13-21 at the National Training Center in Tokyo.
Led by Head Coach Tom Hovasse, the camp, scheduled for later this monthwill include a total of 26 players ranging from 19 to 28 years old, with Yamazaki being the youngest of the entire group.
The Matsudo, Chiba, Japan native and Meisei High School product averaged 2.2 points and 1.2 rebounds across 33 games in his freshman season as a Highlander.
Standing at 6-7 the 18-year old wing hails from Matsudo, Chiba, Japan and attended Meisei High School, the very same school that produced Gonzaga standout and current Washington Wizard Rui Hachimura.
A sharpshooter from beyond the arc, Yamazaki represented his home nation in seven games during the FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup last summer and averaged 14.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. He dropped 32 points on South Korea, scored 23 points versus Serbia, and went for double-digits against Canada and Senegal as well.
SB Nation noted Yamazaki as a standout in the tournament, mentioning him in the same breath as top NBA draft prospects Jaden Ivey (Purdue/USA), Dyson Daniels (G League Ignite/Australia), and Nikola Jovic (Mega Mozzart/Serbia). In the article, they say of Yamazaki that, “No matter the venue or location, his jumper is silky smooth as it’s clear that time has been put in towards every step of the process.”
