Andres LP

Follow me at @JAPANESE_BBALL 🏀 Undying love for the game of basketball 🏀

[Andres LP @Shootingfor3]

🏀 Japan’s Next Basketball Stars: A Must-See for Scouts and GMs 🌍

I've wrote about the next generation of Japanese basketball players that are ready to make a big impact on the international stage.

Let’s show our support! Like & RT if you're excited!

https://t.co/QAGLIvXlnu

[The Playmaker @ThePlaymakerJPN]

2027年の秋、二つのことがほぼ同時に起きる。FIBAワールドカップがカタールで開幕し、NBAがヨーロッパにリーグを立ち上げる。

そして日本のバスケットボールは、その両方を見据えて動いている。

Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL の分析を、The Playmakerで。

https://t.co/E5a8B4nVRn

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Two nights in Athens showed where basketball is heading. Olympiacos won the EuroLeague, but the result was not the real story. The game no longer has one capital: the NBA, the EuroLeague, the Gulf and Asia all meet in 2027.

My new piece for @ThePlaymakerJPN👇

#Basketball #NBA

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

The @JAPAN_JBA national team will compete in @FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers (Windows 3 and 4, July and August) and the Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026 (Sept 10-20).
53-player roster spans from NBA stars Hachimura and Kawamura to veteran Hiejima and 17-year-old Shiratani.

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Italy shot 6/21 from three and still scored 95: 33/55 inside, 60-30 REB, 34-13 AST. No superstar broke Japan.

Ihetu was the bright spot: 16 PTS, 3/6 3PT. Shiratani 22 PTS on 22 shots, with every defense built to stop him.

#FIBAU17
#AkatsukiJapan

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

First win for @U18_JBA at the U17 World Cup.

Yesterday Shiratani needed 34 shots for 35 PTS. Today: 20 PTS on 11 shots, 14 REB, and the closing plays after a 7-minute scoring drought.

Learning to carry, then learning to close. 13th place game tomorrow.

#FIBAU17
#AkatsukiJapan

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Same day, two Japans

The U17s are fighting through a tough WC in Istanbul.

The seniors won In China to reach the next round of qualifying for Doha 2027

The gap between those two results is exactly what the @B_LEAGUE project is for

#AkatsukiJapan
#StepItUpJapan
#バスケ日本代表

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

The Ohori duo kept Japan in it.

Shiratani: 35 PTS, 13 REB, 3 BLK in 37 minutes, most of it inside (13/24 2PT).
Sakurai: 10 PTS, 7 AST, 5 STL, 2 BLK.

Japan matched NZL 26-26 in Q2, then size and depth told. 83-104.

13th place game tomorrow.

#FIBAU17
#Japan
@NextGenHoops

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Yuki Kawamura joins the Indiana Pacers for Summer League, his next shot after a season with the Bulls.

His pace, passing and IQ keep earning him looks. Size is the question, his playmaking is the answer.

#Japan
#河村勇輝
@KawamuraYuki
#YesCers
@Pacers
@JAPAN_JBA
@NBAJPN

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Japan fall 62-98 to Lithuania and head to the 9-16 classification games.

Shiratani was in foul trouble for much of it, sitting with his third early and his fourth in the last quarter, and finished with 20 PTS on 3/10 from three.

Flashes, then foul trouble.

#Japan #Basketball

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Japan’s U17 World Cup group stage ended 0-3 in a brutal group, with a 93-57 loss to France.

But Jack Shiratani made a statement: 33 PTS and 7/13 from three.

The shooting that was his big question mark just showed up in a big way.

#Japan #Basketball @NextGenHoops

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Kuon Sato is a name to remember.

The 16-year-old Higashiyama guard made his first start against the USA at the @NextGenHoops U17 World Cup and top-scored with 22 PTS.

@JAPAN_JBA lost heavily to a much bigger side, but Sato’s scoring stood out.

#Japan #Basketball @U18_JBA

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Shiratani vs Italy, @NextGenHoops U17 World Cup:

26 PTS on 11/15 2PT, but 1/8 3PT.

Once an inside force who dominated Asia with his physique, at 194cm he is now being turned into a wing, handling the ball and shooting more threes.

The transition is the key.

#Japan #Basketball

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

In 2005 I was the only foreigner on my basketball team in Tokyo.

The dinners after every game taught me more about doing business in Japan than any meeting ever did.

Here is what I learned:

https://t.co/jMxxPOZ5e0?

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Big news. 🙏

Since January I've been working as a Market Intelligence & Scouting Consultant for a confidential @NBA organization, focused on Japan & APAC.

6 years following this league. This is what it leads to. 🇯🇵🏀

NBAチームのコンサルタントとして、日本バスケを追い続けます。

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

The @utsunomiyabrex are the new @EASLofficial Champions!!

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

🌍🏀
Since 2019, every single MVP award has been won by an international player. The 2026 World vs. Team USA format it was a necessary evolution to bring the "All-Star" intensity back to the game.

🔗 @ThePlaymakerJPN

https://t.co/N7j3EP91d7

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

What a pass by Yuki-san!!

7 assists in 7 minutes... Amazing 🙌🙌

#河村勇輝
@KawamuraYuki
#SeeRed   
@chicagobulls
@JAPAN_JBA
@NBAJPN

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

I’ve started a new collaboration as an International Basketball Scout, focused on talent identification and market insights. Basketball has been part of my life for years, and I’m excited to keep contributing through scouting specially across Japan and the Asia-Pacific region 🏀

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

ありがとうございます、クリスさん！ベルリンでの取材を楽しみにしています。頑張ります！

[Andres Lopez-Puente @JAPANESE_BBALL]

Excited to announce that I will cover the @NBA Berlin Game accredited by @ThePlaymakerJPN 🇯🇵🏀
Looking forward to creating strong on-site content.
Huge thanks to @chrisnewtokyo for the trust and smooth coordination.
Happy to connect with anyone interested in Japanese basketball.