Hawaii basketball standouts join Team Japan for Paris 2024

Akira Jacobs, a 20-year-old prospect from the University of Hawaii and Hugh Watanabe, a 25-year-old standout from ‘Iolani School have secured spots on Japan’s basketball squad for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.

The two Hawaii players will be joining the Japan national team’s headliners, including NBA stars Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe, American-born Josh Hawkinson and B.League star Yuki Kawamura. Team Japan announced its final 12-player roster on Monday, following a rigorous selection process that saw 24 contenders vying for spots in Tokyo last month.