The bj-league staged its inaugural All-Star Game on Jan. 27 in Ginowan, Okinawa Prefecture. Indeed, it was a terrific chance for the league to reach out to a new fan base in the nation's southernmost region.
On several occasions over the weekend and in the weeks that followed, bj-league Commissioner Toshimitsu Kawachi spoke about the benefits of bringing this special showcase game to Okinawa less than a year before the league would welcome the Ryukyu Golden Kings to the fold as an expansion team.
The fans rewarded the enthusiastic league boss with a special weekend, showing up by the hundreds for basketball clinics, autograph sessions and, oh yeah, the actual All-Star Game.