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Chikara Tanaka

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Chikara Tanaka
田中力
No. 2 – Yokohama B-Corsairs
PositionPoint guard
LeagueB.League
Personal information
Born (2002-05-04) 4 May 2002 (age 22)
Aomori, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Listed height1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Listed weight88 kg (194 lb)
Career information
High school
CollegeBethel (2022-2023)
Career history
2023-presentYokohama B-Corsairs

Chikara Tanaka (田中力, たなか ちから, Tanaka Chikara, born 4 May 2002) is a Japanese basketball player for Yokohama B-Corsairs. He previously attended IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida.

Early life and career

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Tanaka was born in Aomori Prefecture to an American father and a Japanese mother. He briefly lived in Hawaiʻi as a child and was raised in Yokohama, Japan.[1] Tanaka grew up skateboarding but was encouraged by his friends to play basketball due to his height.[2]

High school career

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Tanaka attended Sakamoto Junior High School in Yokosuka and played for the youth team of the Yokohama B-Corsairs. In 2017, he led his team to second place at the B.League Under-15 Championship.[3]

In 2018, Tanaka began attending IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, joining one of the best high school teams in the United States.[1][4]

In February 2019, he participated in the Basketball Without Borders Global Camp during 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina.[5]

In 2020, Tanaka left IMG due to mental health issues off court and transferred to Kahuku High School in Kahuku, Hawaiʻi. After the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he traveled to Utah where he attended the All-Academic Basketball camp and received an offer from the University of Utah. However, Tanaka lost his roster spot due to the extension given by the NCAA Division I Council to all players for the pandemic-altered season.[6]

In 2021, he transferred to Veritas National Prep School in Santa Fe Springs, California,[6][7] where he continued his post-graduate.[8]

National team career

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In January 2018, Tanaka led the Japanese under-16 team to the title of the Crystal Bohemia Cup in the Czech Republic, earning tournament most valuable player honors.[1] Later that year, he averaged 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game for Japan at the FIBA Under-16 Asian Championship.[2] Tanaka was invited to training camp with the Japanese senior national team for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup qualification stage.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Nagatsuka, Kaz (8 June 2018). "Teenage star Chikara Tanaka to attend IMG Academy in bid to gain college hoop scholarship". The Japan Times. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Chikara Tanaka has best friend to thank for path from skateboarder to hopeful Olympic debut". FIBA. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  3. ^ Nagatsuka, Kaz (8 February 2018). "Teen phenom Chikara Tanaka looking to make mark with national team". The Japan Times. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  4. ^ Arruda, Joe (19 January 2020). "An international superstar: IMG's Chikara Tanaka". The Springfield Student. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  5. ^ Givony, Jonathan (12 February 2019). "International prospects to show skills during All-Star Weekend". ESPN. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  6. ^ a b "FEATURE: Teen hooper taking the hard road from Japan to the top". Kyodo News+. Retrieved 2021-11-21.
  7. ^ Veritas Titans [@veritasbasketball] (January 29, 2021). "Welcome 2021 6'2 190 Chikara Tanaka to the Veritas Family! LETS GOOOOO..." Retrieved September 30, 2021 – via Instagram.
  8. ^ Tanaka, Chikara [@chikaratanaka_] (October 12, 2021). "Focus on yo process ❤️". Retrieved October 16, 2021 – via Instagram.
  9. ^ "Tanaka takes humbling senior team experience to be U16 leader". FIBA. 14 March 2018. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
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