After Kevin Durant joined the Phoenix Suns, the Arizona team also made moves to strengthen its force in the summer of 2023. Yuta Watanabe, Durant’s former teammate at the Brooklyn Nets, is one of the players added to the team. 2023/24 season.
The reason for the decision to recruit Yuta Watanabe lies not only in his expertise, but also because of Kevin Durant’s own wishes. The star himself also expressed praise for Watanabe when they were both playing for the Brooklyn Nets. The Japanese player brings great value every time he comes off the bench, as well as his ability to shoot 3-pointers consistently in the corner of the court.
Therefore, Kevin Durant also convinced the Phoenix Suns board of directors to pay attention to Yuta Watanabe after the Japanese player’s contract expired with the Brooklyn Nets.
“I like playing with Yuta. I like the way he strives to improve as a quiet but extremely hard-working player. Yuta’s maturity in his training and living habits is a of the reasons why I want to continue working alongside you at the Phoenix Suns.
He is also a smart player, always in the right position when needed. He works hard to support defense, and his throws always improve each year”, said Kevin Durant.
Last season, Yuta Watanabe had a 44% efficiency at the 3-point line, as well as an average of 2.3 successful 3-pointers per match. Those are the highest statistics in the career of a Japanese player in the NBA.
Coming to the Phoenix Suns, Yuta Watanabe will also play alongside excellent teammates such as Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker and Jusuf Nurkic. He will be an important factor for the Phoenix Suns’ reserve squad, whenever a threat is needed from the 3-point line.
