In 2019 Taiga Okada flew to Spain, the second basketball powerhouse after the US. He was only 15 years old when he joined Zentro Basket Madrid. Playing with his team for two seasons has allowed him to acquire the skills and tactics that meet the high standards in Europe. In the second half of the interview, he shared with us some unique aspects of Spanish basketball, advice to young players who also hope to fly overseas for basketball training, as well as personal goals for his third season, which he emphasizes as an important year to him. ※This interview was held in August 2021.

After his first two seasons in Spain, Taiga Okada is determined to become a player who can continuously bring the team to victory for his third season. To achieve that, he needs to have a high basketball IQ which is exactly the reason why he flew to Spain. Realizing that at such a young age is proof that he made the right decision to challenge himself in Spain despite being so young at the time. Because two years later, he has now gained the experience to once again come to the realization that he needs to improve his basketball IQ, which is something that he felt he couldn’t achieve in Japan.

Taiga Okada: For instance, what should I do after a pick and roll? What should I pay attention to and what move should I make? Where are my teammates and what are they expecting me to do? Having a high basketball IQ is to be able to make these decisions in an instant to make the right move. Answers depend on the formation of the opposing team and their different playing styles so of course the way I react changes every time depending on who I’m up against. For a Japanese player like me who lacks in physical strength, a high level of strategic comprehension and accuracy is expected. You’d also need to be a good team player and to have the ability to predict game flow

As Okada explained, basketball IQ is about playing basketball by using your brain. Since youth basketball in Spain is centered around strategic playing from a young age, good players are naturally equipped with the ability to think while playing.

Taiga Okada:In the past two years, I learned that the most unexpected, surprising moves can turn out to be actual strategic. This is exactly what I came to Spain for because it’s a unique aspect of Spanish basketball that you can’t experience in Japan or the U.S.

His basketball IQ is not the only aspect that Taiga Okada has grown over the two tough years in Spain. He intensified his physical training routines, grew more than five centimeters since he first flew to Spain, and gained 10 kilograms. And through the countless hours of solo practice, he has also honed his shooting skills which he prides as his number one attribute. Why is it so important for him to be a good shooter? It’s because if players like Okada whose disadvantage is their relatively small physique also lacked the shooting skills, the opposing team would have an easy time playing defense from a distance. However, a great shooter like Okada is more likely to be a threat to the opposing team, and defenders would have no choice but to stay close to prevent him from shooting.

Okada has also shown significant emotional growth. Until a few years ago, before he flew to Spain, he would often times show his disappointment through his facial expressions and body language when he performed poorly. However, after these two years he is now able to immediately let go of negative emotions and focus on his next move. Perhaps it’s his current circumstances that made him stronger in all sorts of ways. Studying abroad at the age of 15, training intensively in a competitive basketball league, leading a dorm life with students from all over the world, and the severity of the coronavirus outbreak in Spain compared to that of Japan, are not something that a typical Japanese high schooler goes through while away from family. Furthermore, he stays disciplined and focused, making steady progress towards achieving his goal.

Taiga Okada: I do dream of one day becoming a professional basketball player in a Spanish basketball league, somewhere in Europe, or the NBA. But first, I try to stay focused on how to make the most of my current opportunity, fulfill my role and deliver a good performance.

His dream of playing professionally one day is the reason why Taiga Okada continues to work on his skills and basketball IQ to become a player who leads his team to victory. Moreover, he is 17 years old and still has plenty of potential for improvement. Spain has taught him the importance of teamwork and supporting his teammates. And although he feels that his basketball style has changed, he also sticks to his motto of becoming a player who can successfully score points at crucial moment of a game. Okada knows how to take advantage of his strengths and uniqueness while having an open mind to incorporate whatever he finds beneficial while training in Spain. If he keeps going like this, there’s no doubt that he’ll steal the spotlight one day in Europe.

Yuta Tabuse, who is the first Japanese player in the NBA, proved that even with a small physique he could still compete with his speed and technique. Today, there are players like Rui Hachimura and Yuta Watanabe whose physical attributes are on the same level as other NBA players. Hopefully, Taiga Okada joins his seniors and prove the world that his life decision to train overseas turned out to be a great success. If he joins a professional league in Europe or the NBA, he would be the first player who has never played high school basketball in Japan since he flew to Spain at such a young age. He would possibly be pioneering a new approach to becoming a professional basketball player in the world and be mentioned in the history of Japanese basketball for a long time.

Taiga Okada: I hope that kids between the ages of 13 and 15 would go ahead and train overseas to challenge themselves. I could do it, so I’m sure others can also do it. To be successful in the international basketball scene, if your physical attributes are like Rui Hachimura or Yuta Watanabe then I think you’d be expected to play both inside and outside the paint and be committed to your team. But if you’re a comparatively petite player like me, then you’d be expected to have a high basketball IQ. Of course, you can still stay in Japan and still achieve a high level of basketball skills. But to do that, self-maintenance is key even on your days off. I think that in a situation like me when I first came to Spain and you don’t have any friends, can’t communicate well, everyone from different cultures—your perspective on the world naturally broadens and at the same time you can focus all your attention on basketball, which speeds up your improvement. That’s the way I see it from my experience.

Whether young players stay in Japan or go overseas, Okada also emphasizes the importance to always practice while thinking about the actual game. The game of basketball is in the end about scoring points to win a game, which means that a key player on a team is someone who makes the right moves and decisions.

Finally, the new season is about to begin. All eyes are on Taiga Okada since his improvement can also mean the development of Japanese basketball. Seventeen-year-old Okada begins his third season with high expectations and determination. Don’t miss the moment when this future superstar shows his true talent.

Note: Okada made his professional debut during Liga EBA, a Spanish basketball championship in the 4th tier level, on September 20th, 2021