"When someone like Kevin Durant reaches out, it means a lot": Yuta Watanabe on KD recruiting him to Phoenix Suns, his new role (Exclusive)
Kevin Durant hasn’t just helped the Phoenix Suns with his prolific scoring. He also helped the Suns assemble their roster.
A few months after the Brooklyn Nets dealt Durant to Phoenix leading into the trade deadline, Durant recruited a former Nets teammate (Yuta Watanabe) amid his respect for his dependable shooting and hustle.
“He texted me and told me he wants to play with me again,” Watanabe told Sportskeeda. “That meant a lot to me. When someone like Kevin Durant reaches out to me and says stuff like that, it means a lot.”
Yuta Watanabe interview (Exclusive)
Watanabe talked to Sportskeeda about Durant, his native Japan qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics and how he has become one of the NBA’s best shooters.
Editor’s note: The following 1-on-1 conversation has been edited and condensed
What is it like to play with KD again?
Watanabe: “It’s fun. He’s a great guy and a great teammate. I love playing with him. He’s a great guy, and obviously a great player. He’s definitely one of the hardest workers I’ve ever seen in practice and in every game. One thing I really like about him is when his teammate makes a big play, he always gets hyped. That happened last year when I made shots or made a good play. He was always like, ‘Yeah, let’s go!’ It got me excited and hyped, too. That shows how great of a leader he is and how great of a teammate he is.”
Is it true he recruited you?
Watanabe: “Kind of (laughs). He texted me and told me he wants to play with me again. That meant a lot to me. When someone like Kevin Durant reaches out to me and says stuff like that, it means a lot.”
What do you think fueled Japan’s run in the FIBA World Cup?
Watanabe: “That was really fun. Being on the national team, it’s much different than being in the NBA. There, I have to be the guy. I have to score. I have to rebound. I have to defend. I have to be one of the best players on the team. But my teammates did great, though. For a lot of guys, it was the first time for them to be in the World Cup. We have a lot of young guys. But they weren’t afraid to go against some NBA players and some big names. I was really impressed with them. They made a lot of plays. It was huge for us.”
I know the field is going to be tough, including with KD playing for Team USA. But what’s your outlook on what you guys can do next summer in the Paris Olympics?
Wutanabe: “Hopefully I don’t have to go against him! (laughs). I don’t want to play against him. Either way, if we’re in the same group and play against each other, that’ll be fun. It’s going to be tough with the Olympics. There are only 12 teams. They are one of the best teams in the world, too. It’s going to be tough to get some dubs. But we’re going to be prepared and ready.”
Will Rui Hachimura play?
Wutanabe: “We need him next time. This summer, he didn’t play. He was doing stuff in the U.S. and he said he got a lot better over the summer. I’m glad he was able to work out in LA and he said he spent a lot of time with LeBron [James], and it helped him. But next summer, we need him. I’m going to make sure he’s going to be there.”
What has gone into your growth as a player?
Watanabe: “It’s my confidence level. My confidence is really high now. That’s one of the reasons my teammates and coaching staff trust in me. They’re really helping me. I’m very comfortable being out there and playing with my teammates. I’m understanding the system well. I’m feeling really comfortable overall.”
How do you explain your strong shooting?
Watanabe: “It’s just teammates giving me great passes! (laughs). That’s it. I have to make them. But it starts with the passes and great screens.”
[Suns coach Frank] Vogel said you’re more than just a catch-and-shoot player, though. He said you’re also good at putting the ball on the floor and creating your own shot. How do you see that?
Watanabe: “I really appreciate that he said that. Being a 3-point shooter helps me put the ball on the floor and drive because they have to close out. I always try to make a play with not holding the ball too long. Either I catch-and-shoot or I drive. I try to make it simple. I still have to get better with making plays for others, but I think I’m getting better at it.”
What are the next steps for you with that?
Watanabe: “Make plays for others and try to attack the rim. That’s one of my weaknesses. If I can get better at those two things, the defense is really going to be confused. I can shoot and I can playmake for others. Then, it will be a problem.”
Even though you said your teammates help you get open shots, you’re pretty efficient while also shooting at a high volume. What’s the key to staying efficient, even if you’re taking a lot of shots?
Watanabe: “I stay confident, no matter what. Just keep shooting. There will be a night where I’m not going to make shots, but I know I’m a good shooter. Sometimes it’s not going to fall. But no matter what, I have to keep shooting. I’ve been putting in the work, not just last summer, but also two summers ago. I’ve been putting in the work. It was a long process, but I know it’s been paying off. I have the ultimate confidence in my shot. No matter what, I’m going to keep shooting it.”
What part of that routine do you think has been really important with your growth?
Watanabe: “People always say this, but you have to shoot in practice like you do in a game. In practice, people may catch the ball and then act slowly before shooting it. But in the game, you can’t shoot like that. Even in practice, you have to have a quick release in a catch-and-shoot. There were days I was really frustrated because I couldn’t make shots in practice because I was trying to shoot like I was in the game. But I never gave up. I kept practicing. I kept practicing. I kept practicing. My shots got quicker. My shots got better. It’s more consistent now. It was a long process, but I’m glad that it has worked out.”
Vogel said you’re an elite team defender because you understand schemes and know how to get to the right spots. How do you evaluate yourself there?
Watanabe: “I have a strong IQ and I know where I need to be. But I need to be a better on-ball defender. But off-ball stuff, I’m always active and I’m always in the right spot. I understand the team system really well. That is really helping this team defensively. I think that’s one of my strengths. I’m 6’9” and have almost a seven-foot wingspan. So, I try to be long and be active. That helps on the defensive side.”
How do you get better with your on-ball defense?
Watanabe: “Last year, a lot of times this happened when I was playing down the stretch. Then, the opponent’s best player wants to go iso-ball. They always pick up on me and try to iso against me. I got better. But still, knowing that they want to attack me, I take a lot of pride on defense. That happened many times last season. So I thought, ‘I have to be better.’ It’s not that I don’t want them to iso against me. But when it happens, I want to make sure I stop them. It’s not like I don’t want to face Luka Doncic. I still want to guard them, but I want to do so at a high level.”
Even with that, Durant and others have often praised you for not being afraid to dive after the loose ball and make the hustle play. Where does the fearlessness come from?
Watanabe: “That’s a thing that everybody can do it. But not everybody will do it. Maybe people think it doesn’t look cool. I don’t know what it is. But to stay in this league, you have to do that little stuff, especially me. I’m always trying to be in the league and make the rotation. I have to do those small things that not many people are willing to do. Diving on the floor, contesting at the rim and trying to take charges, it’s stuff like that. If I don’t sacrifice my body, then I shouldn’t be playing. That’s my mentality every game.”
Mark Medina is an NBA insider for Sportskeeda. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.