The bj league was a professional basketball league in Japan that began in November 2005 as a six-team league. The league was operated as a competitor to the established Japan Super League which was run by the Japan Basketball Association, the official governing body of basketball in Japan. Over the next ten years the league saw continual expansion, with at least one new team joining every season, reaching 24 teams divided into two conferences in its final season in 2015–16. Turkish Airlines was the major sponsor of the 2014–15 and 2015–16 seasons.
Seahorses Mikawa is a Japanese professional basketball team located in Kariya and sponsored by Aisin. The team was founded in 1947. The team played in the National Basketball League. In July 2015 it was announced that the team will compete in the first division of the new Japan Professional Basketball League, which commenced in October 2016.
The Akita Northern Happinets are a Japanese professional basketball team based in Akita that competes in the Eastern Conference of the First Division of the B.League. The team was formed as an expansion team of the bj league in 2010 and found success for the first time in 2013–14, finishing their fourth season as league runners-up. They went on to finish as runners-up for the second year in a row in 2014–15 and in third place in 2015–16, the final season of the bj league.
Makoto Hasegawa is a Japanese basketball coach and a former player. Hasegawa was the head coach of Akita Northern Happinets. He is the first Japanese player ever to play in the American Basketball Association. Because of his trademark bushy goatee, his nickname is "hige" in Akita. He played for Kosei Club and Akita Northern Bisons as an amateur in his home prefecture. Currently he serves as an unaffiliated director of the Akita Happinets and the Japan national 3x3 team coach.
Colton Miller Iverson is an American professional basketball player for the Akita Northern Happinets of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for the University of Minnesota and Colorado State.
Yuki Togashi is a Japanese professional basketball player who currently plays for the Chiba Jets Funabashi of the B.League in Japan.
Toarlyn Lavon Fitzpatrick, nicknamed Fitz, is an American professional basketball player for Rapid București of the Liga Națională.
Deshawn Stephens is an American professional basketball player for Promitheas Patras of the Greek Basket League and the Basketball Champions League. He played college basketball for Santa Monica College and San Diego State before playing professionally in Japan, Turkey, France, Italy and Israel.
Kenichi Takahashi, nicknamed Shocho, is a former Japanese professional basketball player and served for Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League as the ambassador. Takahashi is currently the instructor for Toreiku Katagami. He was selected by the Sendai 89ers with the third overall pick in the 2006 bj League draft. He has played for the four Tohoku clubs of the bj league. In October 2015 he became a one-day honorary police chief at the Akita Higashi Police Station. Since then a police officer salute has become popular among Akita's boosters. Takahashi studies NBA to improve his game, and he is an Air Jordan collector. His retirement memorial game was held at Akita Prefectural Gymnasium on October 29, 2017.
Shigehiro Taguchi, nicknamed Shige, is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan. He is a native of Akita prefecture and the most popular player in the "Republic of Pink". He might be the B.League's best current 3-point shooter, and has won the 3 point contest three times. Taguchi was a new captain of Happinets in 2016.
Ryosuke Mizumachi is a former Japanese professional basketball player who played for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan.
Takuya Nakayama is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan. He wears #17 because his mother, Yuko was born on the 17th day of the month. On April 22, 2017, Nakayama made the longest shot of the B.League at first quarter buzzer beater. On December 30. 2017, he hit another longest shot of the league at the third quarter buzzer beater.
Kadeem D'Arby Coleby, nicknamed KC, is a Bahamian professional basketball player who last played for the Akita Northern Happinets of the B.League in Japan. He is the one of the league-leading skilled shot blockers. He fractured both kneecaps during the game on February 10, 2021.
The FIBA Women's Asia Cup Most Valuable Player Award is a FIBA award given every two years, to the Most Outstanding player throughout the tournament.
Yudai Baba is a Japanese professional basketball player for the Texas Legends of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the University of Tsukuba. Baba has been a member of the Japan men's national basketball team.
Kerem Kanter is a Turkish professional basketball who last played for Akita Northern Happinets of the Japanese B.League. He played college basketball for Wisconsin–Green Bay and the Xavier Musketeers. Kanter is the younger brother of NBA player Enes Freedom.
Masashi Hosoya, nicknamed Mashi, is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for the SeaHorses Mikawa of the B.League in Japan. He played college basketball for Kanto Gakuin University. On October 9, 2016, he recorded a career-high 39 points in a win to the San-en NeoPhoenix. The Ninomiya town native played soccer in his youth, and he is good at ball juggling.
Javier Dione Carter, nicknamed Air, is a Panamanian professional basketball player for Passlab Yamagata Wyverns in Japan. Born in the United States, he has competed internationally with the Panama men's national basketball team.
Alex Davis is an American professional basketball player for Aomori Wat's of the Japanese B.League. After two years of college basketball at Hutchinson Community College and two years at Fresno State Davis entered the 2015 NBA draft but was not selected in the draft's two rounds.
Hugh Watanabe, also known as Hugh Hogland, is a Japanese-American professional basketball player for Ryukyu Golden Kings of the B.League. He played college basketball for the Portland Pilots and the UC Davis Aggies. Watanabe has been a member of the Japan national basketball team.
