“Kai found me and gave me a great ride.”
The game against the Raptors on December 16 was a big win for both the Nets and Yuta Watanabe. Despite trailing by as many as 18 points, the Nets managed to turn around and Watanabe was active with 17 points, including 6-of-7 field goals and 3 successful 3-pointers.
Of particular note is the comeback 3-point shot that was decided from left corner after catching a kickout pass from Kyrie Irving with 14 seconds left. After the game, Watanabe said, “They know I’m a good shooter. He let me out. I just hit him.”
“I haven’t had a shot in the last two games, but I want to thank my teammates for encouraging me to hit with confidence. Thanks to the team.”
With that, Watanabe’s 3-point shots this season are 48 and 25 successful, a 52.1% hit rate. To be ranked in the NBA’s 3-point shooting percentage rankings, you need to make “82 in a season,” or one 3-point shot per game. At the moment the Nets have digested 30 games, and Watanabe has 25 hits. If this number reaches the number of games played, he will jump to the top of the 3-point hit rate chart. The reason he’s below the target number is because he’s been out for three weeks. In other words, he is a “hidden number one”.
The current high is 48.4% by the Celtics’ Malcolm Brogdon on 45 of 93 hits, which is nearly double that of Watanabe. He is an experienced player who has played mainstay for the Bucks, Pacers and Celtics since this season and is in his seventh year. The Suns’ Damion Lee is second with 47.7%, followed by the Clippers’ Luke Kennard (47.3%) and the Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram (47.2%). By the way, Ingram decided 28 of 60, but is currently out with injury. The Pelicans have played 28 games so far, and one more would take their name off the table.
Watanabe’s advantage in competing with them is the environment of the Nets. The main characters of the Nets are Kevin Durant and Kylie, and Watanabe is only a minor role. The number of 3-point shot attempts is limited, but in return you don’t need to create shots yourself and there is no situation where you have to shoot with poor probability, especially when the opponent’s mark is severe. He should wait for the pass in his preferred position and catch and shoot in perfect condition.
Watanabe himself said: “All the 3-point shots I made today came from the corners, so I don’t have to move to find a point. If I run to the corner and wait, I can get the best passes. They are my teammates team, it was nice,” he says with a smile.
“In our team there are a lot of players who can play 1v1, and that’s not my job. If I wait in the corner, they know I’m a good shooter, so they can’t miss. So I’m creating space for my teammates. If I’m marked, I can attack inside, and if my mark is wrong, I can widen. It’s simple basketball.”
This way, Watanabe can focus on shooting with a clear role. Watanabe’s high 3-point shooting success rate is mainly due to his shooting ability, but team preparation also plays a big part.
Watanabe will remain vigilant and focus on increasing his own value within the team, demonstrating his usual cliffhanger spirit, but fan expectations are only rising. Last season, the Raptors were out of the rotation and their playing time was severely limited, but the current situation with the Nets making a highlight like every game has improved dramatically. It would be great if he could focus on his role and climb to the top of the league in 3-point shooting percentage, and if he keeps up the pace, he could be in the 3-point shooting contest at the NBA All-Star Game next February.
With the Nets, Joe Harris competed in the 2019 3-Point Shooting Contest and defeated Stephen Curry to win. Harris, like Watanabe, was a late player, but this event in the fifth year of his career made him an instant popular player. I hope Watanabe goes down the same path as Harris once did.
