Basketball: Teen has sights set on being Japan team's next Hachimura
KYODO NEWS - 3 minutes ago - 15:48 | Sports, All
A youth basketball standout with dreams of emulating Los Angeles Lakers power forward Rui Hachimura has emerged as an intriguing prospect for the Japanese men's national basketball program.
Already standing 201 centimeters at age 15, frontcourt player Adam Elmasri is being developed at the highly regarded youth academy of B-League club the Yokohama B-Corsairs.
The youngster, born to a Japanese mother and Australian father, drew attention at the under-15 tournament for B-League academy sides in March where he helped his team reach the semifinals. He was also selected for the subsequent training camp for Japan under-16 national team candidates.
Elmasri, who calls Hachimura his role model, is clear about his ambitions.
"I want to go to the NBA, that's my purpose," he said.
Originally from Yokohama, he moved to Australia at a young age and began playing basketball at 11. He returned to Japan last October and joined Yokohama's youth program. While his game is still raw, he has shown great potential.
Among those with high hopes for Elmasri is B-Corsairs academy director Takashi Shirasawa, who previously coached Akira Jacobs, a member of Japan's 2024 Olympic team currently playing at the University of Hawaii.
"He has a ton of talent," Shirasawa said. "It will be exciting to see how he develops and how we can help."
Elmasri said his coaching at the academy emphasized frontcourt play, but he hoped to develop an all-around game, enabling him to fill a range of positions.
"Right now, I'm very tall compared to the group that I'm playing in, for sure, so I'm focusing on center and power forward," he said. "But I think in the future, maybe even under-18s, I'll start trying to be an all-around player."
While he aims to follow in Hachimura's footsteps to the NBA, Elmasri also hopes to take part in the 2032 Brisbane Olympics in Australia, where he maintains strong connections.
Related coverage:
Basketball: Hachimura ready to step up for title-chasing Lakers
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