Yuta Watanabe admits he battles injury, changes his tune on Okinawa fans / News - Basketnews.com

Yuta Watanabe says he plays through leg injury in FIBA World Cup 2023 and praises fans as Japan upsets Finland: "I'm really grateful to the people who bought tickets in a hurry and filled the seats."

Credit: FIBA Credit FIBA

Phoenix Suns sharpshooter Yuta Watanabe and his Japanese national team eliminated Lauri Markkanen's Finland from FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 title contention on Sunday.

Japan / Schedule

Germany Japan81-63 Japan Finland98-88 Australia JapanTue11:10

Despite facing an 18-point deficit, Japan made an impressive comeback, shattering the direct Paris Olympic Games hopes of the Finnish team.

Japan, one of the three host nations, enjoyed vibrant support from their fans, which played a crucial role in their stunning turnaround.

Meanwhile, Watanabe's sentiments about the fans' support took a positive turn after the win over Finland. Formerly critical about the atmosphere during Match Day 1 against Germany, he now expressed his gratitude on X, formerly known as Twitter.

"The atmosphere yesterday was great," he wrote. "I'm really grateful to the people who bought tickets in a hurry and filled the seats. Special mention goes to the original ticket holders and the spirited supporters who remained undeterred, even in the face of numerous empty seats during the match against Germany. Looking forward to the next game!"

Despite a relatively modest performance in terms of points, as he scored only 4 points in nearly 30 minutes of play on Sunday, Watanabe's dedication was evident as he persevered through a visible limp after the game. The 28-year-old NBA player openly admitted that he had been playing through an injury.

"Speaking about my leg, I've received numerous suggestions to take a break and focus on the upcoming season," he underlined on X. "However, when I hurt my leg in the games against Angola and Germany, I thoroughly examined it and made sure it wasn't a serious injury before participating. I'm proceeding with caution. Rest assured, if there's any concern, the coaching staff and our team doctor will stop me."

Watanabe finished the World Cup opener vs. Germany with a team-high 20 points and 6 rebounds, but Japan lost 63-81.

Japan has a 1-1 record in Group E and enters the last First Round match against Australia on Tuesday in a must-win situation to advance to the Second Round.

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