Quentin Snider

Wheat Hotchkiss

Yuta Watanabe is far from a household name in America. In fact, only the most ardent college basketball fans might know the 6-9 guard, who spent four years in relative anonymity playing for a George Washington team that never finished better than fifth in the Atlantic 10.

But in his home country of Japan, Watanabe is a really big deal. How big?

When he worked out for the Wizards last month, "a swath of reporters" from Japan were on hand to track his every move.

There were no Japanese reporters present at his pre-draft workout for the Pacers on Wednesday morning, but make no mistake, they are watching him closely.

Watanabe is attempting to become just the second Japanese-born player in NBA history. 5-9 point guard Yuta Tabuse was the first, though he appeared in just four games for the Phoenix Suns in 2004.

"A lot of people care about what I'm doing," Watanabe said on Wednesday. "And hopefully I can make them happy."

While he likely won't be a first-round pick in next week's NBA Draft, Watanabe has the physical tools to make it in the NBA.

At the recent NBA Global Camp, he was measured at 6-9 with a 6-10 wingspan and recorded a 36.5-inch vertical jump.

Despite his size, Watanabe played primarily the guard position in college. He averaged 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game as a senior, while shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range and 80.7 percent from the free throw line.

His size and athleticism allowed him to be a menace on the defensive end and he was voted the Atlantic 10's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior.

With those measurables, Watanabe would seem to have all the tools to succeed in the modern NBA, which places a high priority on players who can knock down shots and guard multiple positions.

"My strength is my versatility, both offensively and defensively," Watanabe said Wednesday. "I can dribble, I can shoot, I can pass. On the defensive end, I can guard 1-4."

Still, Watanabe admitted that he must get stronger to be able to play heavy minutes in the NBA. He weighed in at just 191.6 pounds at the NBA Global Camp.

Watanabe has represented his home country in international competition for a number of years, including Olympic qualifying in the summer of 2016. But four years ago, he made a bold decision to travel across the Pacific Ocean and enroll in college. He was just the fourth Japanese-born student athlete to play NCAA Division I men's basketball, according to George Washington athletics.

"When I came here, I couldn't speak any English," Watanabe said. "That was challenging, but I enjoyed the last four years. As a person (and) as a player, I think I developed a lot."

Watanabe is hopeful that his experience playing against NCAA competition has made him better prepared to play in the NBA. He has followed the league for years and lists Kobe Bryant as one of his basketball idols.

"The NBA has been my dream since I was a kid," he said. "...I'm going to do whatever it takes and we'll see what happens."

Missouri's Jordan Barnett (left), Louisville's Quentin Snider (middle), and Ohio State's Jae'Sean Tate (right) all worked out for the Pacers on Wednesday.

Four-Year Players Fill Out Wednesday's Workout

Wednesday's workout was the fourth one the Pacers have hosted this year, but the first in which none of the prospects in attendance turned pro early. In part because of that, none of the six players is expected to be a first-round pick and most will likely go undrafted, though most should get the chance to play for an NBA team in the Las Vegas Summer League next month.

Former Indiana guard Robert Johnson got most of the media attention on Wednesday (Pacers.com's Mark Montieth chronicled his story), but three other players had at least loose ties to the area.

Missouri forward Jordan Barnett, Louisville point guard Quentin Snider, and Ohio State swingman Jae'Sean Tate all grew up within driving distance of Indianapolis. Barnett is from St. Louis, Snider hails from Louisville, and Tate is from Pickerington, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.

Barnett, who started his college career at Texas in the same recruiting class as Pacers center Myles Turner, said he has attended a few games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse over the years.

Tate, meanwhile, has been based out of Indianapolis for the past few months, training with Joey Burton — who works with Pacers forward Glenn Robinson III and other NBA players and prospects — in Zionsville.

Burton has been helping Tate work on his shooting. The 6-4, 230-pound player made just 36-of-130 3-point attempts (27.7 percent) during his four seasons at Ohio State. Tate said Burton "changed my form a little bit," allowing him to hopefully show an improved stroke to NBA scouts.

Tate is a unique prospect because while he projects as a guard in the NBA, he played primarily in the post in college, battling with bigger players. While he probably won't be able to man the power forward spot in the NBA, he does believe that the experience of battling against bigger guys could help him at the next level.

"I've always been undersized, even since I was little," Tate said. "I think that's where the chip on my shoulder comes from. I never back down from a challenge. I like to embrace being a smaller guy."

Ohio State underwent a coaching change heading into Tate's senior year, with former Butler coach Chris Holtmann replacing longtime Buckeyes coach Thad Matta. The program made a massive turnaround, improving from 7-11 in Big Ten play in 2016-17 to 15-3 last season, when they tied for second place in the conference and returned to the NCAA Tournament.

Tate said that turnaround "meant everything" to him. He grew up an Ohio State fan and his father, Jermaine, played for the Buckeyes from 1995-97.

As a senior, Tate averaged 12.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game while posting an impressive .557 field goal percentage. Just as importantly, he was the emotional leader of the team, someone who his teammates and coaches referred to as "the heart and soul" of the program.

Tate endeared himself to fans by playing with relentless energy, something he knows can translate to the pro game.

"I think any team needs a guy who brings energy," he said. "There's going to be ups and downs in games. Throughout my career, I've always been a guy to give a spark to a team when they need it."

Barnett took a little longer to find his footing in college. The 6-7 forward played sparingly in his year and a half at Texas before deciding to transfer to Missouri midway through his sophomore year. Barnett was able to play the second semester of the 2016-17 season, but his first full season of college basketball as a regular rotation player didn't come until his senior season.

He was a productive player for Missouri, averaging 13.7 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season. While he struggled with his outside shot as a junior, shooting just 30 percent from 3-point range on 120 attempts, Barnett was much more effective as a senior, when he posted a .414 3-point percentage and .890 free throw percentage.

Though his offensive game was limited to primarily spotting up as a catch-and-shoot player, Barnett believes he has the skill set to fit well in the NBA.

"The biggest thing I'm trying to showcase is really my athleticism and shooting ability," he said Wednesday. "In this league right now, I'd probably be a '3-and-D' kind of guy...I'm 6-7, pretty long, pretty athletic."

There is certainly a place for a wing who can guard multiple positions and knock down open shots in the current NBA game, but Barnett will need to distinguish himself from a slew of other similar candidates in this year's draft class.

He considers himself a bit of a late bloomer, and is hopeful that his improvement over the last year and his underrated athleticism get scouts' attention.

"I felt much better and much more confident as a stopper my senior year than I did my junior year," he said. "(It was) just an overall boost to my game and skill set, which I think is getting me noticed by a lot of my teams here."

Shooting is also a strength for Snider, who topped 1,000 career points over his four years at Louisville. The 6-2 point guard shot 40.4 percent from 3-point range as a sophomore, 37.3 percent as a junior, and 41.6 percent as a senior. He averaged 11.8 points and 4.0 assists per game in his final year on campus.

"I can shoot the ball and come off pick-and-rolls and find the open man," Snider said. "I'm a point guard, so just trying to get my teammates better, that's the main thing."

A smaller guard and not someone who will test off the charts athletically, Snider faces an uphill battle trying to make an NBA roster, but he has all the intangibles to enjoy a lengthy professional career, even if that comes in the G League or overseas.

Snider was a steady presence throughout his four years at Louisville, including a tumultuous final season that saw legendary coach Rick Pitino forced to resign amid an FBI investigation into illegal recruiting practices.

"It was basically a team (decision)," Snider said. "Our sanctuary was the basketball court. We tried not to worry about that...we just ignored it and kept playing."

The sixth and final player at Wednesday's workout was Creighton guard Marcus Foster. It was the second workout at the St. Vincent Center in less than a week for Foster, who was part of the first workout group last Thursday.

That could or could not mean anything. The Pacers have worked out a few players multiple times in recent years.

One example is Solomon Hill, who Indiana wound up taking with the 23rd overall pick in 2013.

Last year, they worked out Miami guard Davon Reed twice, but did not take him in the draft. Reed went to Phoenix with the 32nd pick, sandwiched between Indiana's two selections at 18 (where they took TJ Leaf) and 47 (where they took Ike Anigbogu).

japan-watching-as-watanabe-chases-nba-dream

Japan Watching as Watanabe Chases NBA Dream

admin

Height: 6-2
Weight: 175
Position: PG
College: Louisville
Age: 23

PPG: 11.8
RPG: 2.7
APG: 4.0
BLK: 0.0
STL: 0.5

Player BioCourtesy of Louisville Athletics

Senior Year
Tri-captain started 3 1/3 years at point guard.  Scored in double figures in 22 games as a senior including 20 of the last 31...Led the ACC in three point percentage for conference games only, connecting on 40-of-87 threes for 46.0 percent...Three-time All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball team selection (2015, 2016, 2017)...Matched a career-high with 22 points at Virginia Tech, adding six assists while burying a career-best seven threes...One of just 11 players ever at Louisville with 400 career assists.  His 415 career assists rank 11th at Louisville...Scored his 1,000th career point with his first basket against Notre Dame on Jan. 16 to become UofL’s 68th career 1,000-point scorer (1,207 career points, ranking 40th at UofL)...Ranked third in the ACC and is 31st in the nation in assists-to-turnovers ratio (2.62).  He was 12th in the ACC in assists (4.0)...Tied a career-high with 22 points against Notre Dame while also dishing out a season-high matching seven assists...Finished his career with 184 three-pointers, eighth-best in UofL history...Would have ranked third in the ACC in free throw percentage, connecting on 86.6 percent, but fell below the league minimums.  He was perfect from the line 15 times as a senior...Pulled down a career-high seven rebounds against Seton Hall while scoring 15 points...Was the Cardinals’ leading returning scorer for the third straight year, averaging 12.4 points and 4.1 assists (8th in the ACC) as a junior.

Junior Year
Team tri-captain, his second year as a captain...The Cardinals’ top returning scorer (12.4 ppg) for the third consecutive season...2017 All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball team selection, earning the recognition for the third straight year...Second in the ACC in assists-to-turnovers ratio (2.74; 22nd in the NCAA).  He was eighth in the ACC in assists (4.1)...Hit 30-of-63 three-pointers in his 11 ACC games (.476)...Recorded a stretch of 20 straight games with a three-pointer, tied for the third-longest in the ACC in 2016-17...Suffered a strained hip flexor in the second half against Duke on Jan. 14 and missed six games...Over the last 10 games since returning from the injury, he averaged 13 points, 4.3 assists and made 22-of-59 three-pointers (.373)...Scored at least eight points in all but four games he played in as a junior...Team co-captain was the Cardinals’ top returning scorer (9.4 ppg last season) for the second consecutive year...Matched a career-best with 22 points against Pittsburgh, adding five assists (3-of-4 three-pointers)...Scored a career-high 22 points against Kentucky and tied a career-high with six rebounds while dishing out five assists and collecting two steals. He was named Bluegrass Sports Commission MVP following the game. He was honored as the USBWA Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week and ACC Player of the Week for games Dec. 19-25...Dished out six assists while also scoring 13 points against Eastern Kentucky, earning Billy Minardi Classic MVP honors.

Sophomore Year
Second on the team in minutes played (27.8 mpg), he scored at least eight points in 22 games as a sophomore...His 109 assists with just 40 turnovers ranked him fourth in the ACC in assists-to-turnovers ratio (2.73; 43rd in the NCAA).  He committed a turnover an average of just once every 21.2 minutes of action...Led the Cardinals with a season-high 21 points at NC State while knocking down a four three-pointers...Led the Cardinals in scoring with 20 points against Florida State, connecting on 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-4 from behind the arc...Handed out a career-best tying eight assists vs. Grand Canyon, adding 12 points and four rebounds in the game. Also dished out eight assists vs. Kennesaw State...Handed out as many as six assists seven times, including seven assists with one turnover against No. 2/1 North Carolina on Feb. 1.

Freshman Year
The Cardinals’ top returning scorer (4.1 ppg) for the 2015-16 season...Started 10 of the Cardinals’ last 11 games of the season. He averaged 9.5 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in Louisville’s 10 late-season games when he replaced Chris Jones in the Cardinals’ backcourt...Committed just 29 turnovers for the season in 589 minutes on the court, an average of one turnover every 20 minutes...Scored double figures in four of the last six games and on six occasions for the season...Averaged 11 points, 4.3 rebounds and two assists in the Cardinals’ four NCAA Tournament games...Had 11 points, two steals and hit 3-of-4 three-pointers as the Cardinals beat then No. 2-ranked Virginia on March 7...Committed just three turnovers in four NCAA Tournament games while averaging 11.0 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.0 assists, connecting on 5-of-15 three-pointers...The Cardinals’ top returning scorer (4.1 ppg) for the 2015-16 season...Scored a career-high 16 points, grabbed five rebounds, handed out two assists, committed just one turnover in 37 minutes, and sank two free throws with 8.9 seconds remaining for the winning margin as the Cardinals prevailed 57-55 over UC Irvine in the NCAA Second Round...Dished out a career-high six assists against North Carolina in the ACC Tournament...Named to the 2015 All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball team, one of a league-high seven Cardinals selected for the honor...Earned his first start against Syracuse, scoring 13 points while connecting on a career-high three three-pointers and dishing out four assists without a turnover.  He had scored 17 points total in ACC games before the game...Scored in 21 games and handed out at least one assist in 18 games...Totaled 11 points -- his second-highest point production of the season -- against Florida State while dishing out four assists.  Also scored 11 points against Virginia.

High School
Averaged 21.9 points, 5.9 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals in leading top-ranked Ballard High School to a 29-6 record before falling to No. 2 Trinity in the Seventh Region title game...Honored as Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball, Snider was a first team all-state selection and was ranked 33rd nationally by Rivals.com, No. 38 by 247Sports.com, No. 40 in the ESPN 100 and was rated the seventh-best point guard in the nation by Scout.com...Career leader in scoring and assists (633) at Ballard.  His 2,442 points passed Allan Houston and DeJuan Wheat.  His 371 three-pointers (including 34 as an eighth-grader at Fern Creek) rank third in state history...Top scoring effort as a senior was 32 points on three occasions and he handed out a season-best 11 assists against Newport Catholic.  He scored 20 or more points in 22 games as a senior...Averaged 19.3 points, 4.5 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals as a junior in helping Ballard to a 32-5 record and the Kentucky state championship game, where the Bruins fell 65-64 to Madison Central. He was a first-team all-state selection and the Seventh Region player of the year as a junior...UofL greats DeJuan Wheat (1993-97), the Cardinals’ No. 2 all-time scorer, and Jerry Eaves (1978-82), the starting point guard on UofL’s 1980 NCAA Championship team, were also graduates of Ballard High School...Chose to attend Louisville after also considering Illinois, UCLA, Michigan State and Connecticut...Honored as MVP of the 2014 Kentucky Derby Festival Basketball Classic all-star game after totaling eight points, four rebounds and a game-high nine assists for the winning White team...His combined 64 points in the two games of the Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Games are tied for the third most in the history of the event that dates back to 1940, passed only by George McGinnis (1969) and Oscar Robertson (1956)...He had 37 points -- the sixth most ever in the event -- six three-pointers and seven rebounds in the game played in Kentucky; 27 points and five rebounds in the game played in Indiana.

Personal
Born Feb. 14, 1995 ... Son of Scott and Latonda Snider ... Has one younger brother (Cameron) ... Major is communication...Personal goal at UofL is to win the national championship...Best moment of his athletic career to date was advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight last season...Enjoys hanging with his neighborhood friends in his spare time...Chose to attend UofL because “I always dreamed to play for Louisville since I was seven, I’m from Louisville and I want to play for my city.”...Best basketball advice given to him was to get better every day...Most proud of being in college and working toward his degree...Feels Oshea Jackson Jr. would be the best actor to play him in a movie...His dad has had the greatest influence on his athletic career...When he played basketball as a kid, he pretended he was Allen Iverson...Few people know that he collects basketball cards...Chose to wear number 2 because it was worn at UofL by former Cardinal Ellis Myles, who was Snider’s AAU coach...If you walked into his dorm room, the first thing you would notice is pictures of his family...Among reality shows, he feels he would fare best on Love & Hip Hop in Atlanta...Best thing about being a Cardinal is “playing in front of my hometown.”...What impresses him the most about Coach Pitino: he is very successful and wants to be great...Would most like to meet God.

quentin-snider-2018-draft-prospect

Quentin Snider: 2018 Draft Prospect

The Pacers will hold their fourth pre-draft workout in preparation for the 2018 NBA Draft on Wednesday, June 13 at the St. Vincent Center.

The six players scheduled to participate in workouts are Jordan Barnett (Missouri), Marcus Foster (Creighton), Robert Johnson (Indiana), Quentin Snider (Louisville), Jae'Sean Tate (Ohio State), and Yuta Watanabe (George Washington).

The 2018 NBA Draft will take place on Thursday, June 21 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The Pacers own two picks in this year's draft, one pick in both the first and second rounds, the 23rd and 50th overall selections.

PROSPECT BIOS: Barnett »   Foster »   Johnson »   Snider »   Tate »   Wideman »

Quentin Snider

Japan Watching as Watanabe Chases NBA Dream

Quentin Snider: 2018 Draft Prospect

Pacers to Hold Fourth Pre-Draft Workout on Wednesday, June 13