Yudai Baba has been working on his craft, joining with a G League team in autumn of last year and playing into this spring as he continues to forge his way into the NBA.
The G League, which operates just under the NBA, suspended play in March because of
the new coronavirus pandemic. In fact, Baba hasn't been able to practice much at all.
"My body knows what to do. Once we get back to practicing, things will come back right away," a positive Baba said in the end of May.
League officials on June 4, though, decided to abandon the rest of this season.
Baba relies on his strong athleticism and his aggressiveness on the floor. Unlike Yuta Watanabe of the Memphis Grizzlies and Rui Hachimura of the Washington Wizards -- both of whom played in college in the United States before entering the NBA -- Baba is chasing his dream of playing in the NBA after starting his pro career in Japan's B.League.
Baba received an invite from the Dallas Mavericks to attend the team's minicamp in June last year.
The 24-year-old player is a native of Toyama Prefecture and attended the same junior high school as Hachimura. He joined Alvark Tokyo in 2017, when he was still at the University of Tsukuba. He has now become a steady player on the Japan national team. At the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China, he was a key player, scoring 18 points against the United States.
He subsequently played for the Mavericks in the Summer League, considered the gateway to the NBA. Baba inked a deal with the G League's Texas Legends in October last year.
"I took it lightly and thought I'd be able to get on the floor since it was the G League," said Baba, who wasn't able to earn enough playing time early on in the season.
"It took me a while to realize that I didn't have anything," he said.
His teammates appeared to be playing selfishly, putting more emphasis on shooting over passing. However, he realized that in this competitive environment, players have to establish themselves. Without that style of play, it's not possible to improve and be seen as a reliable member of the team.
"If the ball comes to you, you have to make shots," he said. "That's the mind-set I have, and I no longer hesitate to put it up."
He also worked on improving his shooting motion and improved his three-point shooting success rate. By the end of December he was playing more minutes. Especially, his man-to-man defense was highly regarded and has increased his confidence.
His contract status for next season is up in the air at the moment, but he is focused on the long-term goal.
"If I get a regular contract or a two-way deal [which affords him to the chance to play for a limited time at the NBA level], it all matters how quickly I can put together some tangible results and reach the NBA," Baba said.
He has more work to do to make his dream a reality.
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