This season is the third year since I came to Japan. He first played for the Chiba Jets, and since last season has been wearing the Ryukyu Golden Kings uniform.
Prior to the B League, he played in the NBA, the G League, a lower league of the NBA, and the NBL in Australia. Like many American players, my biggest goal was to go to the NBA, and I was able to achieve that goal, but to be honest, things didn’t quite go as I had hoped. .
I first played in the G League and worked as hard as I could every day playing basketball to get to the NBA, and I never doubted that I was capable of playing in the NBA. However, as I eventually realized, talent alone is not enough to make it to the NBA; you also have to make sure you get the opportunities that come your way.
In my case, the timing wasn’t right for that opportunity. This is because after one season in the G League, the world entered the period of the spread of the new coronavirus, and the situation was far from normal. Among them, only the NBL was being played under near-normal conditions, and after consulting with his agent, he decided that if he played well in Australia, he might get a chance to return to the NBA. .
In the end, things didn’t turn out the way I had envisioned, and I ended up coming to Japan via Australia. However, I didn’t feel bad about the situation. Because I believe that things happen for a reason.
Before coming to the B-League, I didn’t know much about the league, and I had other options besides the B-League to go to other European powerhouses like Germany and France. But I knew that the Japanese basketball market was growing and I thought going there was the best option.
In fact, when I came to Japan, everyone was trying to grow the brand of basketball, and I was surprised by the enthusiasm of the fans and those around me. I hadn’t been in many leagues before, but I felt it was great to be a part of something that was going to make basketball big.
In the B League, he first belonged to the Chiba Jets. He played with the Jets for one season and still has friends such as Yuki Togashi, Shuta Hara, Fumio Nishimura, and John Mooney. It was a very good season for my basketball career.
He then transferred to the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the 2023-24 season. In the finals of the 2022-23 season, I will be playing against the Kings as a member of the Jets, but my impression of them before the transfer was that each of the Kings was having a lot of fun playing the game, and that they were playing well as a team. It was said that the chemistry was strong.
When I left the Jets, I wanted to go to a team that could win, a team that prioritized winning above all else. The Kings fit the bill. I had never played at the Okinawa Arena before coming to the Kings, but everyone I knew said it was a beautiful, beautiful place and the weather was great. So it didn’t take long for me to make a decision.
However, since I came to the Kings, I have not always had a favorable wind blowing at my back. As is often the case with teams with a lot of new players, it took me a little while to adjust to this team since I came to the Kings, partly due to injuries.
To begin with, the Kings had won the B.League the year before I arrived, and I was joining them as I was playing against them in the finals. The Kings already had a lot of experienced players, but a new player like me came in. I came in last season, and then Alex Kirk came in as well. It was no surprise that the team soon became dysfunctional. Although it was clear that the Kings were strong after winning the championship, when new players come in, it takes time to find the optimal balance. Also, the Kings had a lot of injuries last season. That’s why it’s been such a difficult season.
Last season, they reached the finals of both the Emperor’s Cup and the Championship, but lost both times. Since I’m fighting, I want to finish with the title of champion. However, rather than wanting this to happen, we all have a stronger desire to win. As for me, last season was a year where I learned a lot from stepping into a new environment.
In the final of the Emperor’s Cup, we lost to the Jets by a huge margin of 48 points (69-117). Of course, I didn’t come to Okinawa to lose. I don’t go into any game with the slightest thought of losing, and I never even thought about losing by a huge margin to the Jets in such a big game. However, in the B League championship semifinals, we defeated the Jets and advanced to the finals. The Emperor’s Cup made the victory even sweeter.
So I don’t think last season was a bad year at all. However, I can say that it served as fuel for me to want to rise again heading into this season. We had the ability to reach the Emperor’s Cup and the league finals, but we fell a little short in the end. Losing is a normal part of this world, and even if you lose, it’s important to use it as fuel to move forward.
Again, last season was a year of ups and downs. During this time, I was also acting as a main force to lead the team in a good direction. During practice, he didn’t hesitate to say anything he had in mind, sometimes even violently lashing out at his coaches and teammates. If you say it’s a shouting match, it’s a little different. We’re doing this to win, and to that end, I think it’s only natural that we can openly share our opinions. It’s true that I say things out loud, but it’s only because I want my teammates to play well. We are all a family, and I believe that only when we honestly express our feelings to each other can we develop true chemistry and remain a family.
Coach Dai (Oketani University head coach) says that he argues with me, but in reality, when I was with the Jets, I argued more violently with my coach and teammates. Head coach John Patrick, who was there until last season, was a passionate coach who showed his emotions, and perhaps because of that, the entire team was exchanging opinions. It’s not a matter of who is better or worse, but Coach Dye is a person who allows the players to express their thoughts freely, and he respects my personal style. The Kings have a lot of veterans who know what they need to do, and Yoshio Sasa joined the team this season as an associate head coach. With the addition of Coach Sasa, who can speak his mind, I feel like everyone is less afraid to express their opinions.
Coach Dye is one of the reasons I came to the Kings. I think I have a really good relationship with him. He gives his players a lot of freedom and believes that those on the court should be the ones taking the initiative, rather than giving instructions unilaterally. That’s great and I love him too. He not only encourages his players to enjoy basketball, but he also believes that we should have fun in our lives and maintain a good work-life balance.
I’m enjoying life in Okinawa. I’m from Chicago, Illinois, and it’s near the northern tip of the United States, so it gets very cold in the winter, but since I became a professional player, I’ve played for teams in warmer places like Florida and Australia, so I decided to come to Okinawa. I have no problems with it, and I love going to the beaches of Okinawa.
I’m quite active and have visited many places since coming to Okinawa. I also do things like go to American Village and go out on my bike to watch the sunset. I also go out to eat at “Café Orleans” in Ginowan and “Happy Bowls” in Chatan. There are so many things you can do in Okinawa, and the people are very kind, making you feel really comfortable.
Like other foreign athletes, I am currently taking Japanese lessons as well. I used to be able to speak French, but since I haven’t used it in a long time, it’s becoming difficult to speak it anymore. I think my Japanese is better now. A phrase I’ve been using a lot lately is “She’s my fiancé.” I got engaged to my girlfriend, so I say this when introducing her to someone.
I’m working hard on learning Japanese, trying to learn new words every day and learning how to form sentences. I’m not only learning Japanese to speak, but also reading and writing. I can’t say I’m very good at it yet, but I think it’s not that bad (lol).
#4 Vic Law
Born on December 19, 1995. Originally from America.
He will join the Kings in the 2023-24 season, his second season with the club. A captain who demonstrates competitive strength and leadership and leads the team in both offense and defense. My favorite foods are spicy miso ramen and sugar rice.
