Former two-time PBA BPC Jay Washington spent the twilight of his career in Japan playing in the B.League Division 1 and Division 3. He's got notes.
“Learning experience” somehow now has a bad rap in Philippine basketball, but that shouldn't be the case as one does not improve without knowledge.
And to get knowledge, you need… learning experience, among other things.
As basketball in our region continue to open and expand, the opportunities to not just learn, but actually play, are aplenty.
And among those who benefitted with basketball borders opening within Asia was Jay Washington, a former PBA top pick and two-time PBA Best Player of the Conference.
While he was on the twilight of his decorated career, Washington spent last season in the B.League, starting the year with eventual champions Ryukyu Golden Kings before finding a second home with the Yokohama Excellence in the B3.
J-Wash didn’t directly compare his short B.League run to that of his PBA career, which included stints with both flagships in San Miguel and TNT, but his observations were nuanced and “eye opening” about his experience of playing basketball in Japan.
“It was very interesting to come into an organization like Ryukyu, who was basically like the gold standard in the B.League, as far as just their level of professionalism and attention to details within the organization,” Washington said, who was in Lapu-Lapu City as ambassador to the East Asia Super League, a tournament where a B.League team in the Chiba Jets won.
“As far as the players go, it was pretty eye-opening to see the level of talent that’s in Asia. I was really impressed with a lot of the players in the B.League. These are powerhouse teams,” he added.
[Related: No, you don't need height to dominate in basketball and 5-foot-6 Yuki Togashi is proof]
In his one year in Japan, Washington got to experience both ends of the spectrum.
His first stint was with the Golden Kings, arguably a true B.League royalty and the team that went on to win the championship, beating the aforementioned Jets.
J-Wash's second stint was with the Excellence, a franchise trying to work their way up from the B.League’s third division.
Still, Washington’s observations hold true for the entirety of his Japan journey, something he truly appreciated.
“In Japan, I think the level of discipline and detail they put into their preparation is next level. I was really impressed with just how organized everything was even with just practices, practice schedules, to everything. Everything was just broken down for a player to maximize his potential,” he said.
“That was one of the things I really appreciated by being in Japan, the level of care they give their players and the attention they give,” Washington added.