A top assistant on a coaching staff in the NBA taking their talents overseas rarely happens in the league, especially with so much turnover and opportunities at head coaching positions every year.
Even though that is normally the case, Washington Wizards assistant Ryan Richman has decided to make the bold move to Japan to test out his coaching chops as the leader on the sidelines.
Although leaving the NBA to coach elsewhere isn’t a common practice for someone that is likely hoping for an opportunity to be a head coach in the league, basketball is becoming more and more of a global sport, with a lot of countries starting to make some noise.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Richman will be replacing a legend who has been coaching for three decades, with the SeaHorses Mikawa wanting a fresh perspective on how to compete in today’s game.
Wizards assistant Ryan Richman is accepting a job as coach of the SeaHorses Mikawa in Japan, sources tell ESPN. Richman is replacing a 30-year GM/coach for a franchise wanting to modernize itself with a young, rising NBA assistant.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 1, 2023
With basketball becoming increasingly popular overseas, the game is starting to get comparisons to soccer in terms of being a global sport and not something just played in the United States and Europe.
Obviously, this is great for the game and something that the NBA could look to capitalize on in the near future, with it not being out of the realm of possibility to see something like a Champions League-type of tournament.
It’ll be interesting to see how the game continues to grow in the years to come and how the league will try to expand or at least become more inclusive for other countries.
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